So Beautiful
by Shrimperton
Summary: Rachel's fathers love Rachel, yes, but how long will their patience run? And when they find themselves unable to care for Rachel, will they let an old friend take care of Rachel? Or will they cut off all contact completely?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, to anyone who has stumbled across this story. This is my first fanfiction story. I, personally, think that Glee has made some pretty upsetting plot choices the past two seasons, or rather the writers have... I don't think anyone really knows what is going on. My first complaint is the whole Rachel/Shelby plotline, which has led me to write this story. I keep hoping that Shelby will make an appearance, especially for Rachel. Idina Menzel is such an inspiration and so incredibly talented and Glee, again, made many poor choices with her plotline, which did not showcase her talent enough.**

**This story does not follow Glee currently, but I have taken bits and pieces to help carry this story along. For starters, Rachel is young; I am going to say, around thirteen and Shelby does coach Vocal Adrenaline. Also, Quinn is sort of HBIC, in a way.**

**I have a lot planned for this story and I hope that you will follow this story. Please, please read and review. It will mean a lot. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I know I didn't address a lot, but I don't want to give away what I have planned. Or maybe it is predictable. If you would like to know more, please feel free to PM me. Also, I tried to make this long. I, personally, enjoy long chapters. Let me know. Sorry for any spelling errors.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Thirteen year old Rachel bounced her leg up and down as she stared out the window. Today, she was going to the Big Apple with her two dads and Quinn, her best friend. Quinn was older by about a year and a half. Rachel usually hung out with people older than her. She felt that the kids her age were extremely immature and lacked the appropriate knowledge of the history of Broadway. Not to mention hygiene. Yes, Quinn was not as enthusiastic about Broadway as Rachel was, but she was one of the very few that could put up with Rachel. In fact, Quinn enjoyed a handful of Broadway shows herself.

Rachel bit her lip and leaned back in her seat as she watched as cars passed by. Why did it seem as though they were going at a snail pace?

"Dad? Daddy?" Rachel managed to squeak out.

"We're almost there." Her father's replied at the same time. They felt like broken records. That was at least the twentieth time Rachel had asked that question within the last half hour.

Quinn was in her own world by this point. For starters, it was too early for anyone human being or really any living creature to be up. Rachel had insisted that they leave super early to avoid traffic. They surely did avoid traffic. And secondly, Rachel was pushing her buttons. She was like the energizer bunny. Once you got her started on the topic of Broadway there was no way of stopping her from talking and throwing out random bits of facts. Quinn had to admit, she was excited to be going to New York City. It had been at least a few years since she last went.

"I cannot wait to see Wicked. It is one of my favorite shows ever! I love all the songs! Quinn, what's your favorite song? I can't pick mine. It is between Defying Gravity and For Good. OH! And also, What is this Feeling? Oh, but I also LOVE One Short Day. Quinn? Who is your favorite character? What about your least? No. Don't answer that. Every character should be your favorit-"

"Sweetie." Leroy cut in. He had his eyes squeezed shut. He took a deep breath. "Leave Quinn alone. Why don't you try shutting for eyes for a few minutes. You were-"

"Daddy, how do you expect me to shut my eyes? We are going to be in New York City today!" He was insane, Rachel thought. How in the world could she be quiet?

"I know that, sweetie. But dad and daddy had to get up very early today. If we want, and I am sure I can speak for Quinn, to be alert and freshened up for the day, we need to get as much rest as we can." Leroy concluded.

Rachel crossed her arms. He was kidding right? She turned her attention to Quinn, who also had her eyes shut. Rachel huffed. This was ridiculous.

Hiram looked through this rear view mirror and chuckled to himself. Silly girl.

Only a few minutes had passed when something caught Rachel's eye. It was a huge billboard advertising the Broadway show, Wicked.

Oh, no. Leroy thought to himself. He hoped that Rachel had not seen the sign.

"DAD! DADDY! QUINN! Did you see that sign? Did you?" Rachel was now bouncing in her seat. She could not contain herself. They were almost there. Rachel could practically smell the theater from here. "I can't wait! I am so excited! Can we go to the stage door after! Do you think they will sign our playbills? Can I get a shirt? Can Quinn get a shirt? What about-"

"Rachel!" Leroy slammed his fist on the dashboard.

Rachel immediately clamped her mouth shut. Quinn jumped in her seat. Hiram looked over at his husband and gave him a sideways glace.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry. Please, just be quiet until we get there. Can you handle that?"

"Yeah." Rachel whispered. He was mad. She had made him mad. "Daddy… daddy are you mad?" Rachel dared to open her mouth.

Quinn looked over at the brunette. She could see that Rachel was upset. Poor girl. Quinn did like the idea of having the car ride be silent, but that was until she saw how upset Rachel had gotten when her father snapped. Quinn bit her lip and focused her eyes outside.

Before Leroy could answer, Quinn cut in. "Rachel… Rach." Rachel turned to Quinn. "My favorite song would have to be Defying Gravity." Quinn thought for a beat. "And, As Long As You're Mine."

Rachel smiled. "That's another good one! All the songs are great."

Quinn returned the smile and watched Rachel lean back in her seat, content.

Shelby Corcoran squeezed her temples with her fingers. "This is not rocket science!" She said through her teeth. Vocal Adrenaline had been rehearsing since eight this morning. It was now five in the afternoon and no progress had been made. Nationals were in less than a month and Shelby was getting no where.

Shelby and Vocal Adrenaline were in New York City right now. Why? Well, for starters, Shelby wanted to scope out the performance space for Nationals. More importantly, the lighting. It wa horrible last year and Shelby wanted to make sure it wasn't defunked. Was this allowed? Probably not. But if anyone knew Shelby, she always pushed the boundaries and got what she wanted. And secondly, Shelby wanted to take her students on a sort of celebration trip. Yes, they had yet to win Nationals later that month, but everyone, for the most part, had worked extremely hard and deserved this.

Shelby had connections, so she was able to rent a private performance space for Vocal Adrenaline to rehearse. If anyone thought they were getting a break while in New York City, were crazy and might as well turn in their dance shoes and their voices.

Shelby walked to the stage from the directors table. The sound of her heels echoed in the theater. Shelby took center stage. "It's left, left, spin, and then fan kick." Shelby demonstrated with frustration. Hell, if she could do this in heels, her students should have no problem doing this simple chorography.

After Shelby finished her demonstration she turned to her students, hands on hips. "Now, are there any questions?" You could hear a pin drop.

The four finally made it New York City. Rachel managed to contain herself, that is, until they drove through Time Square. At this point, Rachel was practically on top of Quinn, trying to get a better view.

"Rachel, sweetie, please, sit down." Hiram said.

Hiram pulled the car in front of the hotel they were going to stay in. "You three jump out and get the suitcases. I'll find a parking spot and meet you in the lobby and Rachel-"

"Yes, dad, I know, don't run off." Rachel parroted.

Quinn swung her duffle bag over the shoulder and stepped foot outside. She stretched her back. That car ride was too long. Quinn walked around to the other side of the car and followed Rachel and Leroy inside.

Their hotel was right in the heart of Time Square. Inside, the marble floor was illuminated by the crystal chandeliers that hung from above. Quinn and Rachel trailed behind Leroy. They were in complete awe. Off to the side there was a grand piano near a sitting area. A young gentleman was playing a light tune on the piano. A few people were seated around him.

"Berry." Leroy said to a man at the desk.

Hiram turned around to face the two girls. "Now, while we are here, I expect you two to be on your best behavior." Leroy turned back to the man at the desk to get their room key.

Hiram made his way into the hotel. He spotted the three, a few yards away from the check in desk.

"I am serious. New York is a big city and I don't want to lose either of you. Or risk you two getting hurt." Leroy continued.

"Leroy." Hiram cut in. He put a comforting hand on each of the girl's back. "Let's just try and fun some fun, okay?"

Both Quinn and Rachel nodded in agreement. Rachel just wanted to get their things in their hotel room as fast possible so they could head back out and join the festivities. She didn't want to miss a single thing. If she could, Rachel would camp out in the middle of Time Square. Maybe she would see a celebrity or even find their lost pet. Rachel's mind raced with all the different possibilities.

The four made their way up to their hotel room. Their room consisted of two Queen sized beds, a small sitting area that also served as a kitchen, and a bathroom. It was small, but efficient.

"Look at the view!" Rachel exclaimed! "Look!" Rachel dragged Quinn to the window. It was a fine sight.

"Rachel." Leroy said. Quinn nudged Rachel to get her attention. "Rachel. Let's just rest for a bit and then we can go down okay?" Leroy laid back on one of the beds. Hiram joined him and closed his eyes.

Hiram looked at the clock. It was getting late. "Rachel, if you go to sleep now, I promise we can get up early tomorrow morning. The city is not going anywhere."

Quinn's eyes bulged out. How early? It was bad enough having to get up early for school.

Rachel turned her attention back outside. "Fine."

Quinn snapped her head towards Rachel. What? Did Rachel just give in?

"Great work, everyone." Shelby called out from her directors table. "Get some rest and I will see you all bright and early tomorrow." A wave of groans erupted from center stage. "What was that?" Shelby snapped. "I don't want to hear another complaint." It was too late for this. "Let's head back to the hotel."

Vocal Adrenaline entered the hotel. If Shelby weren't on their heels, most would be crawling through the doors. Shelby began to shout out instructions to everyone.

"Does this woman ever sleep?" Nicole asked until her breath to one of her classmates.

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't." Another student cut in.

"You." Nicole turned her head. "And you." The other student turned around as well. "Did you hear what I just said?" Shelby spat.

How the hell did she hear them? The two shook their heads.

"As I was saying. Remember, you are all on a strict diet. That means no dairy before each rehearsal. Drink lots of water and I want you all to record the number of calories you are eating each day..."

"Shelby does sleep, actually. You two are crazy. You all should be lucky you even made it on the team." said a boy named Jesse over Shelby's voice.

Shelby stood near the end of the hall and watched as the students dragged their feet into their hotel rooms. They'll thank her later, she thought to herself, when their names are called for first place at Nationals.

Shelby sighed lightly and went into her own room. She flopped into her bed and closed her eyes for a beat. She listened to the sounds of the city below. New York City was perfect in every way. It all seemed too easy. She had the perfect job and got to help aspiring students grow to be stars. Yes, it was all Shelby could ever want, but yet, it wasn't enough, at times. There was something else, something that would just be the icing on the cake.

"Wake up! WAKE UP!" Quinn groaned. Was it morning already? What was jumping on her? Quinn didn't see what time Rachel finally settled down.

A blast of light filled the room. "Ugh!" Quinn turned her back away from the window. "Five more minutes." She mumbled.

"No! Come on! Get up!" Quinn's sheets were thrown off. "Come on! The city certainly cannot wait any longer!"

Rachel had been up since five. Or was it four? She was simply too excited to sleep. She had already planned out their entire day. Correction. Rachel had their entire weekend planned out the minute she found out she was going to New York City.

"Dad! Daddy!" Rachel plopped on their bed. "Come on! Let's go! Wake up!" The men groaned in unison. "You said we could start the day early! It's past early! It's practically the afternoon!"

Weren't teens supposed to be the ones who liked to sleep in? Hiram thought. He looked over his shoulder as chuckled as Quinn covered her head with a pillow.

Rachel hopped off their bed and went over to see if she could get Quinn out of bed. Why was everyone sleeping? Didn't they know there were in the city that never sleeps?

"This is your fault." Leroy complained to Hiram.

"She is just excited. Let her have some fun." Hiram argued back. "Rach."

Rachel snapped her head towards her dad. Did that girl ever get whip last? Quinn wondered. "Yes, dad?"

"Give us like half an hour and I'll take you and Quinn to get some breakfast in Time Square."

Breakfast sounded really nice to Quinn. She was actually starving.

"You're not coming, daddy?" Rachel asked Leroy.

"Honey," Leroy began with a sigh. "I'll just sit this one out, okay?"

This was ridiculous, Rachel thought. Why would anyone want to "sit one out" while in New York City? The Great White Way? The Big Apple?

Rachel shook her head. "I don't suppose you plan to miss Wicked, do you?" Rachel challenged.

"Hey. Cut that out." Leroy countered. "Of course I'm going to see it. I'll just meet you guys at the theater. Okay?"

"Fine." Rachel huffed.

She was not going to let her father ruin this trip for her, especially today because today, they were seeing Wicked, her favorite musical, as previously stated, multiple times. Although Rachel preferred seeing the night performance, her fathers were only able to get tickets to see the matinee show, but Rachel was not going to complain.

"Ready sweetie? Quinn?" Hiram asked as he walked out of the bathroom.

"Yes!" You did not have to ask Rachel that twice. Seriously.

"I'm ready." Quinn was excited. She was beyond excited. She didn't want to show it though. Quinn hated it, but she had this fear that someone from school would see her, with Rachel. Her reputation would go down the drain. That was something she could not risk. Think Quinn, she said to herself. Think of an excuse you can use if you have a run in.

"Quinn?" Quinn turned to the voice that pulled her from her thoughts. "Yeah, Rach?"

"You okay?" The brunette looked genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine." Quinn offered a light smile.

"Again!" Shelby's voice boomed throughout the room. "I want those legs straighter than the pole you all will be dancing on if you don't nail these jumps, ladies!"

Vocal Adrenaline had been practicing since ten in the morning. Shelby's idea of "being generous" was letting them sleep in two extra hours.

"My bet is that, that girl over there messes up and gets sent home." Jesse whispered to Nicole, like it was some freaking reality T.V. show. It was the same student that Nicole was talking to the other day. What was her name?

"You're such a jerk." Nicole replied back as she slapped his arm. She did feel bad for that girl over there, but if one person's mistakes caused physical and mental pain for everyone else, Nicole would not mind if she took a hike.

"Hey! Everyone focus, please!" Shelby said. "If we can get at least a dozen smooth run throughs, you might get lucky and I'll cut practice short."

Some vacation to New York City, Nicole thought to herself.

It was time. It was time for the house to open and for people to take their seats. Rachel could not contain herself. She in was the Gershwin Theater. To see Wicked. Wicked!

The four took their seats.

"I am so excited!" Rachel exclaimed for at least the twentieth time. "I hope-" Rachel stopped mid sentence. Wait.

"Rachel?" Hiram asked. "Sweetie?" He was getting worried. His energetic daughter was now frozen, almost paralyzed.

Rachel composed herself and ripped open her playbill. Looking for something. "Oh, thank goodness!"

The other three gave Rachel questioning looks.

"I just- I was worried that there would be an understudy, but that's not the case!" Rachel said proudly.

Quinn leaned back in her seat. Geez, Rachel, she thought to herself. Way to give us all a heart attack.

The lights began to dim and the orchestra began the prelude.

Rachel let out a squeal. "It's time! It's time!"

Hiram and Leroy braced themselves. No one noticed the smile that sneaked across Quinn's face. And, everyone and their mother definitely did not miss Rachel's reaction. It was like a child on Christmas Day.

"Everyone take five!"

At that moment, everyone collapsed on the floor.

"Is this what dying feels like?" Nicole mumbled as she threw her arm to the side. Her feet were numb and her voice was parched.

Shelby's heels could be heard and she neared the pile of what were soon to be corpses.

"I think we are in a good place right now." Shelby said, relaxed. "I think that if we are able to run through this number, let's say, three more times, you are all free to go and enjoy yourselves." And with that, Shelby walked off.

"You heard her, guys!" Jesse said, taking charge as he jumped up.

A wave of groans filled the room. How did he have so much energy?

"Come on," Jesse egged as he nudged some people with his foot.

One by one, each person sat up. They all had their mind set on one thing and that was to get out of there alive. And by six, if they were lucky.

Wicked had ended. During the performance, Rachel had to be nudged multiple times to get her to shut up because she was singing along, not to herself, but loudly.

As everyone filed out of the theater, Rachel dragged Quinn to the stage door. Rachel had read that the cast usually did not stage door after the matinee performance, but Rachel was sure she could do some convincing.

"Sorry everyone, but the cast will not be coming out." A security guard called out to a group that was starting to form outside the stage door.

Rachel stopped dead in her tracks. What? Rachel charged at the guard rails. He was kidding right?

"Rachel. Rachel!" Leroy called out. Quinn stopped in her tracks and headed back to the Berrys. "Rachel!" His voice boomed.

Rachel stopped in front of the stage door. This was not fair. All she wanted was to meet the actors and get their autographs and maybe get a picture. That's all. Nothing else.

"Hey." Rachel turned around. "It's okay. Why don't we just walk around the city?" Quinn offered.

Rachel was hesitant. She wanted to go and bang down the door and demand to be let in. "Come on," Quinn said again.

"Rachel." It was Leroy's voice. "Now."

Rachel sulked towards her fathers.

"Quinn is right," Hiram began. "Let's just walk around the city after we get some dinner." Hiram was desperately trying to avoid the fit that Rachel was about to throw. That was the last thing Leroy wanted to hear and see.

"Hey here's an idea." Leroy said. "After we get a bite to eat, why don't you two girls shop around Time Square? Does that sound like a plan?"

"YES! Yes! That's sounds perfect! Quinn?"

"Leroy." Hiram said. "Do you really think it's safe for these girls to roam through Time Square without an adult? I'll stay with them. You can go back to the hotel."

"Nonsense." Leroy said. "They are old enough."

Rachel's and Quinn's heads looked back and forth as the father's bickered and weighed the pros and cons.

Rachel was getting impatient.

"We will keep our cell phones on and we will be back before… eight.." Quinn nudged her. "Nine. We will be back by nine." Rachel kneaded her lips together. Please, she thought to herself. Please.

"….Oh… alright…." Hiram said reluctantly.

New York was a big city. Hiram was very nervous about letting Rachel and Quinn off on their own, but he had to remind himself now and then that they were growing up and would eventually have to fend for themselves. Quinn was responsible and would be sure to keep Rachel in check, right?

"Thank you so much! Love you!" Rachel said as she gave each her fathers a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you." Quinn said politely.

The two headed out after dinner. Rachel had practically scarfed down her meal and sat impatiently as Quinn nibbled at her vegan friendly dish. How in the world did Rachel manage to eat like this?

Rachel then grabbed Quinn by the hand and dragged her down the street. They were surrounded by smells of smoke and sweet stuff. It was busy, but Rachel, being the small person she was, snaked in and out of the crowd.

"Come on! Keep on!" Rachel yelled over the chaos. She had one destination she wanted to reach and Quinn was taking her dandy old time. "Come on!" Rachel said again, this time louder.

"Hold on, Rach!" Quinn tried to say over the crowd. Quinn just wanted to stop and take it all in. She wanted to see all the different stands and the shops and what was that man called… OH, the naked cowboy.

"Rachel, where are we going?" Quinn finally asked, when they came to a stoplight. Before Quinn could utter another word, they were on the move. Did people actually follow the traffic lights?

"We're almost there!" Rachel said over the shoulder. She just needed to check something out for herself.

Rachel came to a stop. "We're here." She said in awe.

They were certainly a bit a ways from Time Square thought Quinn, nervously. She followed Rachel's gaze. Why were they at another restaurant? Quinn put her hand on her stomach. There was no way she could eat another bite.

"Let's go." Rachel said as she walked inside the restaurant.

"Uh, Rach." Quinn said. "What are we doing here?"

"You'll see. Now, come on!" Rachel, once again, dragged Quinn inside.

The inside of the restaurant was extremely nice. There was low lighting. Each table was covered with a white table cloth. On top were a candle and a single rose.

"How many?" Quinn looked at the greeter. Shit.

"Oh, I was wondering if we could use your bathroom." Rachel said politely.

"Oh, sure. It's in the very back and to your left." The woman replied.

"Thanks." Rachel said with a smile.

With that, she pulled Quinn towards the bathroom.

"Rachel, stop. Rachel!" Rachel turned around.

"What?"

"Rachel, what are we going here?"

Rachel ushered Quinn towards the bathroom. Ignoring the woman who had greeted them and her questioning glace.

"Rachel!" Quinn hissed.

Rachel pushed Quinn into the bathroom, taking a second glance outside to make sure no one else was coming.

"Quinn. This morning, when I was up, I checked Twitter and guess who is in New York City?" Rachel asked with excitement.

Quinn crossed her arms. "I'm don't know, Barbra Streisand?" She asked.

Rachel opened her mouth and closed it right away. "No." If Barbra Streisand was in New York and Rachel didn't know it, she would die. Right there. Call her dramatic, but Barbra was her idol and Rachel had this dream that one day, Barbra would come to see her on Broadway or present her with an Oscar.

"No, actually," Rachel started with a matter-of-face voice, "Vocal Adrenaline!" She paused dramatically with her mouth wide open.

Quinn did not react.

"Quinn! Vocal Adrenaline! The like number one show choir in like the entire world! They are here! Their lead singer, Jesse St. James, tweeted it! And guess what, Quinn!"

"I don't know, what?" Quinn asked blandly.

"They are in this restaurant, right now!"

"Great."

"Quinn, did you hear me?"

"Rachel, this is considered stalking. Also, what's so great about this so called show choir?"

Rachel paused. She was kidding, right? Yes, it was stalking, but she was dying to meet everyone, especially their coach, Shelby Corcoran. She was amazing and had so much power, not to mention a stunning voice. Rachel knew this because she had watched every YouTube video out there of this choir.

"I just… I want to take a quick look around and see if I can see them. Please, Quinn." Rachel stared her down.

"Fine." Quinn said. She was in no mood to fight Rachel on this one. Rachel already had her mind her.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Are you ladies okay?" Rats. It was that woman who greeted them at the door.

"Yeah!" Rachel called out as she walked into a stalk and flushed the toilet. Rachel then opened the door. Did this woman have her freaking ear pressed up against the door to see if she was actually going to the bathroom? They certainly did not need a babysitter.

"Thanks," Rachel said to the woman as walked past her.

Rachel looked desperately around the room, but she couldn't see them anywhere. Rachel felt a nudge on her back and turned to Quinn who pointed outside. There they were, just leaving.

Rachel grabbed Quinn's hand and pulled her outside.

"Today's practice was killer." Rachel heard someone say.

"Tell me about it. I think my feet are going to have to be amputated!" Another person said.

Rachel opened her mouth to say something, but something, rather someone stopped her.

"Can I have your attention?" Who was that? "Make sure you all get a good night's rest. Tomorrow, I've scheduled us for a quick rehearsal very early in the morning."

Quick rehearsal? That would be like snow in July, Nicole thought to herself.

"After that, you will all have the rest of the day off to enjoy a few hours in the city."

Rachel turned around. There she was. Shelby Corcoran. The Shelby Corcoran. The coach who was known for being extremely hard and demanding. The coach that won things and got what she wanted. Students went places and did amazing things after her coaching. Hell, you learned more than you did in a school year after a single private vocal lesson with her.

Quinn stopped dead in her tracks. That Shelby Corcoran? She looked familiar, rather she looked like someone Quinn knew, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Let's follow them," Rachel whispered to Quinn.

"I don't know, Rach," Quinn started. "I mean, we even don't know where they are staying. They could be staying in a hotel that is very far away from ours, for all we know."

"I don't think I can even make it to the hotel." Nicole whined as she leaned against Jesse.

Jesse stepped aside, causing Nicole to lose her balance.

"Jerk,"

"Come on. Stop being a baby, our hotel is only a few yards away," Jesse said as he strutted away.

Only a few yard away? Our hotel is only a few yards away! Was Vocal Adrenaline staying in the same hotel? Rachel's mind started racing. This was too good to be true.

"Quinn!" Rachel hissed as the pair trailed behind Vocal Adrenaline.

No response.

Quinn was too caught up trying to figure out who this woman reminded her of.

"Quinn!" Rachel tried again, this time a little louder, which caused a few members of the Vocal Adrenaline, including Shelby Corcoran to turn around. There it was.

Quinn's eyes drifted towards Rachel's. They had the same big, eyes. The same bone structure. The same hair.

"What's up?" Quinn asked, still, clearly distracted.

"Quinn, I think they are staying in the same hotel as us!"

"Small world." Quinn said.

Rachel smiled as she faced forward and followed the crowd as though she was one of them. This was probably one of the best trips of New York ever. She just had one more thing she wanted to do, something that would be make this the most memorable trip.

The pair finally hauled themselves into the hotel room.

"Did you two ladies have fun?" Hiram asked over his book.

"Yes!" Rachel exclaimed. "Dad, did you know that Vocal Adrenaline is in New York AND they are staying in his hotel?" Rachel was pacing the room. She could not sit still.

Quinn made her way into the bathroom to get ready for bed. She was exhausted. She could hear Rachel through the walls as she told her dads about seeing them walking the streets.

"Rach," Quinn heard Leroy say. "I don't want you following Vocal Adrenaline around, okay? You shouldn't bother them. They are probably here for business."

"Daddy, we weren't bothering them! I swear!" Rachel was getting worked up.

"Rachel!" Leroy said.

Why was his problem? Rachel thought to herself. This was not fair. Would he let her follow, say, Barbra around?

Quinn made her way out of the bathroom. This was awkward. She slid under the sheets, ah, finally. Her feet were thanking her. You're welcome. All that walking, and Rachel, wore her down. Quinn rolled to her side to face the window, trying desperately to get some sleep.

She heard Rachel huff as Rachel walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

"You don't think…" Hiram asked under his breath.

"No. I don't… no," Leroy whispered.

What were they taking about? Quinn was too tired to try to listen any more. She let sleep take over.

Quinn was not a very heavy sleeper. Someone was moving around. Rachel. Was it that time already?

Quinn slit her eyes open and glanced at the clock. It was five. Did Rachel ever sleep? Quinn looked over her shoulder just in time to see Rachel slip out of the hotel room. What was this girl up to? Quinn wanted to get up to investigate, but her body's protest told her to stay in bed. I'm sure I'm just dreaming, Quinn thought to herself. Rachel wouldn't go anywhere without bringing her along.

Rachel slipped out of their hotel room and tip toe down the hall. She was on a mission.

Rachel made her way down to the lobby. It was quiet and only a few people were up, working the morning shift. They were lingering around the room, with coffee cups in hand.

Rachel found what she was looking for. She had read a Tweet from Jesse saying, _"Up early for another rehearsal. Coffee anyone?"_ There, grouped in a little sitting lounge in the lobby was Vocal Adrenaline. Or semiconscious Vocal Adrenaline.

"Guys. Guys!" It was Shelby. "Please, warm up your voices! I want to start the number as soon as we get there!"

Shelby glided towards the piano and started a scale. Her voice was beautiful. It was heavenly. It filled the room completely. Rachel was in complete awe as she stared at the brunette. This woman was phenomenal, even better in person.

Rachel watched as Vocal Adrenaline went through a series of warm ups before a van arrived. Where were they going?

Rachel's eyes followed as Vocal Adrenaline filed out of the hotel. As Shelby started to leave, she turned around and called out some order to the man at the desk, something about needing better pillows, but Rachel didn't hear what she said, she was too occupied with the gold charm that was hanging around the woman's neck. It was a single gold star. Simple, get elegant.

Rachel was known for her unhealthy obsession with everything Broadway and gold stars. She practically left a trail of gold stars everywhere she went.

This woman, who had the voice of a goddess, was wearing a gold star. Rachel put her hand to her chest and traced the outline of her own gold star necklace. Rachel stood up. Move. She said to herself. Just walk up and say hello to her. Go! Right now!

Rachel couldn't. She felt like she knew this woman, even though they had never met. Rachel watched as Shelby turned to leave.

"Where the hell were you?" A voice boomed as Rachel slipped back into the hotel room. She stopped dead in her tracks and stepped back a bit.

"Daddy," Rachel started.

"No, Rachel! I told you from the very beginning that you are not to run off, especially on your own!" Leroy yelled. "We were worried about you!"

Rachel bit her lip as tears escaped the corners of her eyes.

"Daddy," Rachel tried again.

"Leroy," Hiram put an arm on is husband.

Both men turned to Rachel as she stared at the floor.

"I just… I didn't leave the hotel. I just went down to the lobby…" She paused. "Vocal Adrenaline-"

"Rachel," Leroy began, trying to keep his composure. He took a deep breath. "What did we say about following them?"

Rachel cut in. "But daddy, Shelby Corcoran, their coach, was warming up with them. You have to listen to her sing. She has the most beautiful voice every! I learned a lot just by watching then warm up and,"

"Rachel," Hiram tried to cut in, but it was no use.

"She was wearing a necklace with a gold star! Just like me!" Rachel pointed to the necklace that was hanging around her neck. Rachel was on the brink of tears. "Do you think she likes gold stars just as much as me?"

At that moment, Quinn came out of the bathroom. She felt it was best to hide in there for a bit. She didn't know what to do or what to say or where to look in situations like this, but she couldn't hide in there forever.

"Rachel," Leroy said with an even tone. "I will say this one more time. I do not want to have to repeat myself. You are not to go following Vocal Adrenaline around. Do you understand?"

"But daddy, why?" Rachel asked. She needed answers and get wasn't getting any. She wasn't hurting anyone by following Vocal Adrenaline around, honest.

Leroy's exchange with Hiram did not go unnoticed by Quinn. Quinn fidgeted in her place. She felt out of place. Rachel had not stopped looking intently at her fathers.

Hiram opened his mouth.

"Rachel, what your father, what we are trying to say is that we just want you to be happy and focus on just being a kid and having fun. Surely following around this choir will get you nowhere." Rachel shook her head. What? This made no sense. Weren't parents supposed to help build a dream, not tear them down?

"Dad, I have having fun. When I get into high school, I plan to join Glee too. It's everything I want to be. It'll fit in. I want to be able to perform! Can't you see how happy I am when I talk about them?"

Rachel quick looked over at Quinn and then at her fathers.

"I don't understand," Rachel said to her hands.

Quinn could see her fathers were trying to find their words.

"Rachel," Leroy finally said.

"You're mad," Rachel cut in.

Leroy sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands. It was early. He woke up early, very early, only to find his girl missing and then she returned, saying she went off in search for Vocal Adrenaline, disobeying his rules.

"Rachel, I'm upset with you," Leroy said, still in the same position. "You ran off without leaving a note or waking us up."

"I thought I would be back before anyone woke up," Rachel said, trying to defend herself.

"That's not the point, sweetie," Hiram said as he looked over at Quinn.

What? I had nothing to do with this. Quinn thought to herself.

"Rachel," Rachel was starting to really hate hearing her name. "Sweetie, what you did was wrong, whether you understand that or not." Hiram paused. "You need to listen to your father, both of us." Hiram tried to keep Rachel's attention. "We just- we just don't want you to get hurt."

Rachel wanted to scream. She wanted to break something. This was not rocket science. She was not bothering or hurting anyone from Vocal Adrenaline. What weren't her father's telling her? Why were they keeping her from her dream? Or meeting people she looked up to?

"Hey," Quinn said lightly.

Rachel turned towards Quinn. Why was this girl being so nice to her on this trip?

"Want to go take one more walk around Time Square?" Quinn looked at the Berry's. Say yes, please, she said to herself.

"I don't know," Rachel said as she faced her fathers. "Are you okay with that, or is it too dangerous out there?"

"Stop it right now ," Leroy said.

"That's fine Rachel," Hiram said. "You two have some fun and then come back in about an hour so we can get on the road."

With that, Quinn ushered Rachel out of the room, quickly. She had to get out of there. She didn't know what was going on and it was getting uncomfortable.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Leroy groaned. "Is this really happening now?"

"It doesn't have to," Hiram said gently, putting his hand on Leroy's knee.

Leroy sat up. "Yes, I know, but Rachel is smart, she is going to find out sooner or later." He paused. "We need to find a way to distract her,"

Hiram hesitated.

"What?" Leroy spat.

"I don't know… maybe it is time to tell her. She is going to hold this over our heads for the rest of our lives if she finds out before we tell her,"

Leroy leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. No, not yet. This was not going to happen now.

"Maybe this will pass,"

"I don't think so," Hiram said cautiously. "I can see so much of her in Rachel. She was stubborn and Rachel's extremely stubborn and fights to get whatever she wants. She is a fighter."

Leroy held his hand up. "This may be so, but we are going to have to lie or something because I will not allow this to happen, right now. Please, please, support me."

Hiram sighed. "Alright, but I am not going to be the one breaks the news to Rachel. I don't want to toot my own horn, but I am clearly the favorite and I would like that to stay. Rachel is getting older and you know how distant they get."

**A/N:** **As I said in the beginning, this is my first fanfiction so I still trying to work things out. I have wanted to write this for a long time, I just haven't had the time. I'm not sure how I feel about this first chapter. I am sorry if I turned some of your favorite characters bad, but things will be explained, if I continue on the path I have planned out. Please let me know what you think. If I get a response, I'll write more. Thank you.**

**I have yet to watch the new episode, but I heard that Props was good; however, Nationals… not so much.**


	2. Chapter 2

seacat03 – Thank you! The writers need to make up their minds about what they want to do with this show next season and stay committed to their plotlines. I plan to catch up on Glee tonight!

Karissa – Thanks! I really, really hope that Shelby will make an appearance at the end of this season, but I don't think that's going to happen. She should be there for her daughter when she graduates, at the least.

Holly Rosslyn – Thanks! I will try my best to get another chapter out soon. I was able to write this one pretty easily. I had this chapter outlined before I had the first one. I have been trying to write 1000+ words everyday and I am working on a schedule of when I want to get each chapter out.

sillystarshine – Thank you so much! I love Rachel/Shelby stories, as well. I was very excited to hear that Glee would be covering 'Edge of Glory," at Nationals; they usually always do a great job with covering Lady Gaga's songs.

Dee – I will try to get this out soon! I want to make sure I do this right, especially with it being my first fanfiction. Quinn is another favorite of mine!

Drea LuRuiz – Thank you! All I want is for Shelby to come back and fix things… and maybe, just possible sing another duet with Rachel. I keep thinking she will appear, but she never does. The songs she sang are so amazing, especially 'I Dreamed a Dream' and 'Somewhere.' Her voice makes my heart melt.

kitaleigh – Thank you! I hope to have this up soon!

fja – (:

ljw – Thank you! I was very nervous about posting my first story, but I think people will really like what I have planned.

w1cked – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

anon – Thank you so much!

sophielovesglee – Thank you! I hope I don't disappoint anyone with this chapter. I packed a lot or maybe I moved too fast. I was going to have this in two parts, but I thought that it'd be best to get some action in right away.

tlgonzal – My fingers are crossed in hopes that Shelby will make an appearance. It seems silly that Rachel is going through all this without her. Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed chapter one!

Ann2012 – Thank you so much! I plan to continue this story as long as my readers enjoy it! I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

**Wow! I am absolutely blown away by the response I got! Thank you! All the alerts and comments motivated me to start writing the next chapter right away and get it out as soon as I could! I tried to get this written fast because I didn't want to keep you all waiting. I hope that I do not disappoint any of you and that you all enjoy this chapter. A lot will happen in the next two chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.**

Rachel hated Lima. It was boring. Nothing happened in this town, ever. This town was so chill people practically left their doors wide open at night or when they left their house. No one locked their cars and everyone knew each other. Trying to keep a secret in this town was impossible. Word spread like wild fire, faster than rumors spread around in High School.

Rachel stared out the window. Another thing she hated. Math. How would knowing about special right triangles and the fractions help her make it to Broadway? The answer was it wasn't. Simple as that. Rachel huffed and looked at the clock. One minute had passed. It felt like eternity. Rachel wanted to be back in New York City amongst the hustle and bustle.

Rachel started to doodle in the margins of her math book to help pass the time. '_Kiss me goodbye I'm defying gravity_'

"Rachel Berry," A voice pulled Rachel from her thoughts.

Rachel looked up from her book. Everyone was staring at her. Did she have something on her face?

"Ms. Berry. What's the answer to the problem?" The teacher was clearly annoyed. Maybe she hated math too, but was forced to teach the subject because there were no other openings.

Rachel bit her lip and looked around for help. Instead, the class erupted into a wave of laughter. Rachel slide into her chair. It wasn't that funny. Rachel didn't laugh when someone was put on the spot. The teacher did this on purpose; Rachel thought to herself, she knew I wasn't paying attention, so she called on me to embarrass me. Why did teachers do this? Was it for entertainment? Was it to prove something? Rachel's mind continued to rage on. Clearly, I didn't know the answer because I wasn't raising my hand!

"Mike," The teacher didn't even give Rachel a chance. "Do you think you could help Miss. Berry out?"

Mike smirked in Rachel's direction and used his know-it-all voice to give the correct answer. He got a few high fives from his buds afterwards.

Rachel never hated anyone, but Mike was an exception. He was the "hot shot" of the school. Everyone wanted to be his friend.

Rachel stared down at the math book again and racked her brain for a song from her repertoire of musicals that would fit her current situation.

After what felt like eternity, the bell finally rang, indicating that class was over. Rachel shot out of her seat. She had places to go and people to see. She didn't want to be breathing the same air as the people in her class. The talent in the room was lacking.

"Excuse me," Rachel mumbled as she tried to make her way through the crowed of students to get to her locker. She was walking against the crowd, which was impossible. No one wanted to step aside, ever. Being short was a struggle, which made it ever worse trying to navigate the hallways. For starters, you always got a backpack shoved in your face going up the stairs.

"Hey! Watch it!" A boy shouted as Rachel bumped into him.

"Sorry," Rachel mumbled. It wasn't her fault! She was getting pushed and shoved!

"Move out of the way!" Another person shouted, while shoving Rachel aside.

One more year and then I am out of here, Rachel thought to herself. She had already been counting down the days until she started high school. Hell, she was counting down the days until she could live in New York City. It couldn't be worse, high school, right? There was Glee Club, more classes, theater, and after that college! NYADA. New York City. Broadway. Rachel already had her audition song picked out, months and months ago. She already had her apartment in New York City picked out. It had the perfect view at night. Rachel also had the perfect roommate in mind and what their dorm would look like. In addition to all that, Rachel had also already cast herself in a new musical that she would be a part of that would win her a Tony.

Rachel dreamed of going to NYADA all her life. Amazing people went there and left their mark. Rachel was going to be one of those people. Someone would name a statue after her or name a theater in New York after her.

Shelby leaned back in at the director's table and watched as Vocal Adrenaline ran through their entire set, again. She had no doubt that they would win at Nationals, despite what she heard about New Directions, their rivals.

Shelby's thoughts on New Directions went a little like this: yes, they had talented students, very talented, but after years of experience Shelby could predict who would win and who would lose. The reason why New Directions were not as successful was because of their music choice, for starters. Will Schuester, their coach, liked Journey too much. He needed to bring some old music back, something refreshing. And second, their chorography. It was mediocre, enough said.

If New Directions wanted a shot at winning, they needed to stop playing it safe. Push the boundaries. Take a risk. Shelby had to admit, she saw potential in that team, it was just a matter of taking the dive.

Shelby watched each person like a hawk. Making sure that they were all in synch, that the girls were hitting their marks, that boys weren't struggling with the lifts, and that, of course, they all had their show face on. The key was making it look easy, while still looking like you were having the time of your life.

Her chorography was difficult, it required a lot of breath control to be able to sing and dance at the same time.

"Stop, just stop!" This was turning into a train wreck. People were getting sloppy. Shelby made a mental note that the next time she held auditions; she would have each person run a mile or so, in addition to the singing and dancing part of the audition. You needed endurance to be on this team.

The music stopped. The silence was deafening. All held their breath, despite how out of breath they were.

Rachel stared at her refection. Her dance class had ended a few hours ago, but Rachel stayed behind to perfect her solo. She had an extremely important dance competition coming up and Rachel wanted to do well, not only for herself and her dance teacher, but for her fathers. All she wanted was to make them proud. She saw how excited they were when she told them she had a solo. Rachel could only imagine their faces seeing her win first overall. She felt the pressure, for sure, but it only pushed her to do better.

"Hey," That was a familiar voice.

"Kurt," Rachel said with a smile. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

Kurt was one of Rachel's best friends, next to Quinn. He was about Rachel's age. He was very mature for his age, practically an adult, unlike about ninety-eight percent of the other boys in the school. The three had met at the beginning of last year in English class. They had been through so much already. They were all close, yet had so many different interests. Kurt was more of the artist and Quinn was the athletic one. While Quinn was one of the more liked students in the school, she did enjoy being around Kurt and Rachel. It bugged the two that Quinn was a completely different person in school. So what if she had to keep her status? And finally, Rachel, she was the one who performed whenever she got the chance to. The other two did have a slight interest in that area, but didn't really pursue it.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked as she reached for dance bag and swung it over her shoulder.

"I stayed after to get some extra help and I knew I'd find you here. Besides, I could hear 'The Way We Were' all the way down the hall," Kurt said with a light smile.

The Middle School and the High School were right next to each other. Because Lima was such a small town, the dance studio was in the High School. Lima wasn't exactly wealthy, one would say. At one point, Rachel's fathers had thought that she should switch studios to a town outside Lima, but Rachel insisted that this one was perfect. It was close to home and it was barely a walk from the Middle School, for the days she had dance right after school.

Another reason why Rachel loved her dance studio was because her practice happened when New Directions rehearsed. Rachel loved hearing them rehearse. Glee Club sounded like so much fun and Rachel dreamed of being in it. Rachel knew she could give some of the singers on the team a run for their money.

Rachel smiled. Kurt was like the mother out of the three of them. He always knew what to say and what to do when one of them was down.

"Is that your solo song?" Kurt asked. "Because if it is, I totally approve. I can bet no one else will be dancing to Babs,"

"No, I just like to listen to Barbra while I'm winding down," Rachel replied. "Walk me out? My father's should be here soon,"

"Of course," Kurt replied.

Back at the Berry resistance, Hiram and Leroy were seated at the kitchen table.

"You know what we have to do," Leroy said, eyeing Hiram carefully.

"No, I don't, actually," Hiram challenged. He leaned back in his chair. He knew what Leroy was going to say, but he didn't want to admit it.

Shortly after their trip to New York City that past weekend, Leroy, as promised, broke the news to Rachel.

"_Rachel?" Leroy knocked lightly on his daughter's door._

"_Come in," He heard Rachel say through her door._

_Leroy walked in. Rachel's room was decorated in dozens of Broadway posters. Some big and some small. She had a make shift Tony on her dresser next to a bedazzled microphone. Rachel even bedazzled her hairbrush. One of the corners in her room was just for Broadway CD's. The pile was taller than her. One wall was just for Barbra Streisand. Leroy sighed. He wondered if this would pass._

_His daughter was sat at her computer, watching something intently. Oh, no. Leroy thought to himself. She was watching a video of Vocal Adrenaline's performance to 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' Did this girl ever listen?_

_Downstairs, Hiram anxiously paced around the kitchen. He hated that he was forced to agree to do this. This was going to break his daughter's heart. He wished there was another way to handle this. No one prepared you for parenthood. It wasn't the hardest job, yet the most rewarding. Hiram would not change it for the world._

"_Rachel," Leroy said, sternly._

"_Just a second. This is almost over," Rachel said to the computer. She had her faced practically pressed up against the screen._

_Rachel had watched this number over and over again. Each time she noticed something new. The chorography was beautiful and the costumes fitting. Shelby Corcoran was a genius._

_Leroy had it. He got up and closed Rachel's computer. He needed Rachel to listen, now, not in a few seconds._

"_Daddy!" Rachel cried, as she turned to face him._

"_This has got to stop, Rachel." Leroy began. "I don't want you spending hours on the computer watching videos of Vocal Adrenaline. You need to spend your time doing something else. Go for a walk, work on your solo, read… something other than this!"_

"_But, daddy," Rachel cried. "I haven't spent hours watching them today! In fact, I haven't since New York! Why are you trying to keep me from seeing them? It's not like I have a chance at meeting them, I might as well watch their videos and learn from them!" Rachel was getting worked up. "I want and I plan to join Glee club when I get into high school. I look up to them, daddy! You just need to give them a chance!" Rachel stopped, waiting for her daddy to say something._

_Leroy sat on the edge of Rachel's bed. It was now or never._

"_What?" Rachel spat._

"_Watch your tone," Leroy warned. His face then softened. "Rachel, I feel like… what I am trying to say is.. I need to tell you this and it is very important that you listen and do not interrupt me until I am finished talking, understand?"_

"_Where's dad?" Rachel asked. Why wasn't he here too?_

"_He is downstairs, Rachel. Can you please just listen?"_

_Rachel nodded. She fiddled with a hoodie that was draped over the back of her chair._

"_Dad and I have talked about this and he came to a conclusion that you are ready for this news. It is about Vocal Adrenaline." He said carefully._

_Rachel sat up straight. She knew everything about this choir like the back of her hand. She knew about each member and Shelby Corcoran. She followed all their blogs and Twitters. She followed all the choirs, as a matter of fact. There was no way her father knew something she didn't._

Rachel kicked a stone as she paced outside the school. It had only been about ten minutes. Rachel wasn't worried, her dads were usually a bit late. Also, Kurt was there to keep her company.

Kurt watched Rachel as she paced back and forth.

"So, diva. It has been exactly three days since you got back from New York City and you have yet to tell me how it went." Kurt was trying to think of a good conversation starter, something to fill the silence. "Did something happen?" He truly wondered why Rachel hadn't said a word. She hadn't even sent him pictures while she was there.

"No, nothing happened," Rachel started. She was still kicking the stone around. "It was perfect. New York City was just as amazing, as usual. Wicked was perfect. I think Quinn really enjoyed it, too, but she won't admit it."

Kurt was not satisfied. What was she not telling him?

"Quinn and I also got the chance to look about Time Square on our own. This was fun. Also, our hotel was right in the heart of the city. I wish we could have stayed longer,"

"That sounds amazing, Rach," Kurt said.

Rachel bit her lip. "And,"

Kurt leaned forward. Here it comes.

"Vocal Adrenaline stayed in the same hotel-"

"What? No way! Why have you been holding out on me? That is so awesome, Rachel! Did you talk to them? Did you get to see them rehearse? Was Shelby Corcoran there? Did you take any pictures? Did you sing with them? What about Quinn? Was she excited to see them?" Kurt rambled out a dozen or so more questions. He, too, was a fan of Vocal Adrenaline. Rachel introduced them to him via YouTube and he was hooked. He also planned to join Glee Club in high school.

Rachel didn't respond. She bit the inside of her mouth and looked up at the sound of a car passing by, hoping that it was her fathers, but it wasn't.

"Rachel, did you hear me? Did you get to meet them? Did you get to hear them rehearse? Why were they in New York City so early? Nationals aren't for a few more days…"

"Kurt, no, we didn't get to meet them. I wish though. I was really excited when I saw some of their tweets saying that they would be in New York."

Kurt nodded. "Go on," He was getting anxious.

"We- I saw them warm up early in the morning. Hearing them sing was magical, Kurt. I wish you were there with me. Quinn was still sleeping at the time. But Kurt, they were pitch perfect. I wish I had their breath control. I mean, it was super early in the morning and they still sounded amazing."

For some reason, Kurt didn't believe that Rachel actually had a fantastic time. She wasn't herself. She wasn't as enthusiastic. A red flag went up when she didn't tell him every detail about her trip the minute she got home.

"Honey, something happened," Kurt interrupted her. It was more of a statement, really. "What is going on? You are clearly not yourself."

Rachel was hesitant. She wanted to tell Kurt. She hadn't talked to anyone about New York since last night when her fathers told her about Vocal Adrenaline. Usually she talked about her trips to New York for days on end. But, her conversation with Leroy last night had put her into a complete funk. She didn't know who to believe now. She was in denial. It wasn't true.

"Don't you have to be somewhere?" Rachel asked.

"No, I don't actually," Kurt replied.

Kurt did not have to be anywhere. He was here, now, for Rachel. Whenever Rachel or any of his friends needed to talk, he would move mountains to be there for them.

Rachel was silent for a beat.

"I lied, kind of…" A beat. "New York City was fun, but… I… it just wasn't the best trip I have ever had. Yes, it wonderful getting to see Wicked and getting to bring Quinn along and also getting to see Vocal Adrenaline, but my fathers… they have been so… weird, especially Leroy. His temper was horrible and he snapped at me, in front of Quinn. It was embarrassing. Hiram wasn't as bad, but… I don't know."

Kurt was trying to wrap his head around what Rachel was telling him. She was talking in fragments.

"They just- they are unhappy with me now… or maybe they are mad. They… Leroy said some stuff to me last night. They don't like that I am, I guess you could say, following Vocal Adrenaline around, but I wasn't! I wasn't following them around like a puppy dog! I saw them, twice, Kurt, twice! I could have seen them more, but I didn't! There wasn't time! They also freaked out when I mentioned Shelby Corcoran,"

"Did you get to talk to her?" Kurt cut in, wide eyed. "She-"

"No, I didn't, but I got to hear her sing. I can't explain her voice, Kurt. It is like trying to explain the Grand Canyon to a blind person… you simply can't. It was that amazing." Rachel said with a light smile, trying to go back to that morning when she heard her sing. "And get this, as I saw her leaving the hotel, she had a gold star necklace, just like mine." Rachel pointed to her own necklace. She never took it off, ever.

Rachel joined Kurt on the bench and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I just- I don't understand why they are so upset with me and don't want me knowing about them, especially Shelby. It hurts, you know? I feel like I did something wrong… that I disappointed them, once again. I just want to make them happy, Kurt. I want to make them proud. I want to get their approval. It hurts because I am not getting any answers; at least, I'm not getting the answers I want."

Kurt leaned his head on top of Rachel's and snaked his arm around her waist.

"I'm so sorry, honey. That is unfair, I know." Kurt didn't know what to say this time. Though he was oddly jealous. He wanted to be there to hear Shelby sing. He too, had watched endless YouTube videos of those few who dared to record during a Vocal Adrenaline performance.

Those videos barely lasted longer than a month on YouTube. Somehow, and Kurt was sure it was her doing; Shelby got those videos pulled from the website. She obviously did not like having them out there for people, especially other choirs to see and take notes on. No one knew what songs Vocal Adrenaline would sing until the day of a competition or a performance. No one knew what songs they had sung in the past unless someone told them who had seen them perform first hand.

The pair sat in silence. No sign of Rachel's dads, still.

Rachel sat up a bit and checked the time on her phone. "Where are they?" She had no missed calls and no texts from them. Did they forget about her? Rachel dialed Hiram and got his answering machine. She tried Leroy, but he didn't answer either. He usually never carried his phone around. He was still learning how to turn it on.

Hiram and Leroy were still sitting at the kitchen table. Hiram glanced at the clock.

"Rachel should be getting out of dance soon." Hiram said as he sipped his coffee.

The two had just discussed their next course of action concerning Rachel and Vocal Adrenaline. They had hoped that their talk with her the other night would silence all her questions and that she would stop trying to see them and asking about them.

"You know Rach likes to stay after for a bit. I'd say we have at least another half hour," Leroy said simply. "Let's just go take care of this next course of business right now."

Hiram cut in, "But-"

"If we think we will be later, we can always just shoot Rachel a text message. I'm sure she wouldn't mind staying after a few extra minutes."

Hiram was hesitant, but finally nodded; he wanted to get this out of the way. With that, the two walked out of the car with one destination in mind, Carmel High School.

Four hours later and Vocal Adrenaline finally started looking like a team. Shelby wondered if any of her coaching would stick by tomorrow morning or if she would have to do this all over again.

"Good!" Shelby called from her directors table with a sign. "Take five everyone!"

"Was that a compliment?" Nicole asked as she massaged her feet. She had sat down right where she was standing, there was no way she could move another inch, especially in the heels that Shelby had each girl wear. She could feel blisters forming on top of old blisters.

"Don't hold your breath," Jesse replied as she plopped next to her. He, again, had so much energy.

"Lexi seems to be improving," Nicole offered.

Lexi was that girl that everyone seemed to forget. She was new to the team. A freshman. Bottom of the food chain. Most of Vocal Adrenaline had said that they did not need new members this year and that it was unnecessary to hold auditions for the start of the new season, but Shelby insisted. She claimed that there was talent just waiting to be discovered. Shelby said that she saw something in Lexi.

Lexi sat off to the side. She wasn't really close with anyone on the team, yet. She was kind of the underdog. Everyone knew each other and had all their inside jokes. They had been together some for all fours years, some for just three or even two, but Lexi didn't really know anyone, only Nicole, really. Lexi was only really able to start a conversation with a handful of people.

"Sure," Jesse said. "She's whatever."

"That was mean," Nicole said under her breath, punching Jesse on the shoulder, hoping that Lexi didn't hear what he said.

Sure, no one really knew what the deal with Lexi was, but she was on the team and making it on the team was a huge deal.

"Whatever," Jesse said as he took a sip of water.

"Okay, everyone, I've decided to let you free, but just this once. You'll thank me later. Get some rest and be here early tomorrow morning. Don't come to practice and suddenly you forget the dance. If you have, I will admit you to the hospital and get your heads checked out." Shelby said.

Shelby was serious. While some might think it was a threat, Shelby always followed through. There was no joking about show choir. It was a serious business.

Was this real life? Shelby cutting practice short was unheard of. Everyone sat there, shocked.

"What?" Shelby yelled. "Would you like to stay longer? Because I can arrange that. I can have us here past midnight."

No. No, thank you. Everyone scrambled over each other. No one wanted to be the last one out.

"Lexi," Shelby called out. "Can you stay for just a minute, please?"

Lexi bit her lip and nodded lightly. She felt all eyes on hers, like daggers. She didn't want to know what was going through everyone's mind because she knew what they were thinking.

Lexi stood a bit away from Shelby and watched as everyone else exited, murmuring quietly to each other.

"Ignore them," Shelby said with a light smile as she walked towards Lexi.

Lexi look up at Shelby. The woman was gorgeous. And so incredibly talented. Lexi wanted so badly to impress Shelby and prove to Vocal Adrenaline that she could keep up. She was so happy and thankful that Shelby let her on the team. It was a huge deal and Lexi was well aware of that.

"You know," Rachel said as she looked down at her phone. "Maybe… they are just running late. They tend to do that a bit, but it's not a problem." Rachel stood up and swung her bag over her shoulder. "I'll just start walking, just to save them some time. Plus, I need the exercise."

Kurt stood up. "Rach, I don't think that's a good idea. It is getting dark out."

Rachel turned around, "Really, it is not a problem. It is not a long walk. Plus, this town is boring as hell, I'll be fine, no one is going to try to kidnap me or something crazy like that. I'll talk to you later, Kurt." With that, Rachel started walking off.

Kurt caught up with Rachel stopped her. "Stop saying that, okay?"

Rachel turned around and faced Kurt and looked him in the eyes. "Kurt, really, it is okay. Seriously. I want to walk."

"Why don't you wait until with me until my dad comes and I know he can give you a ride. Call your dads and tell them that you have a ride home now. Maybe you can catch them before they head towards the school. Save them a trip."

Kurt lived kind of far from McKinley. He actually lived much closer to the Carmel school district. Why he didn't attend there, Rachel wasn't sure. Regardless, she was glad he went to McKinley. She couldn't imagine her life without Kurt. It was different, but he kept her on her toes.

Right then Rachel's phone chimed, telling her she had a text. Rachel opened the text as fast as she could, her heart picked up a bit, in anticipation of what it said and who it was from. It was from Hiram. _Daddy and I ran out to run a few errands. We are running a bit late. Hope you don't mind staying after for a bit longer. Pasta for dinner. Can't wait to see that solo you have been working on. Xo._

"Who is that from?" Kurt asked as he looked over Rachel's shoulder.

"That was my dad. He and daddy are going to be a bit later than expected." Rachel sent him a quick text back. _It's okay. Kurt can give me a ride home. I'll see you soon. And yum._

Rachel then looked up from her phone. "That ride would be great,"

Hiram looked at his phone. Something told him that Rachel wasn't okay. Deep down Hiram knew that this wasn't right. He didn't want to confront Shelby Corcoran, but he loved Leroy and wanted to support him. In most cases like this, Leroy knew what he was doing and always had solid reasoning for his actions.

Hiram looked over at this husband who had his eyes trained on the road. One hand was on the wheel and the other was resting on the gear shirt. They hadn't said much to each other since they left the house.

Hiram reached over and rested his hand on Leroy's.

"We're doing the right thing. This is to protect Rachel from getting hurt." Leroy said, still looking forward.

Hiram only nodded. He wanted to believe him.

"I just-" Hiram didn't know what to say. Why was he having such a hard time expressing his opinions? This never used to be a problem. And it shouldn't be a problem. "It's just that… we can't protect her forever. She is going to want to know who her mother is. She is going to ask questions and she won't stop until she gets an answer. Plus, I think… I think she knows, or she has a good idea who she is." A beat. "Leroy, I think we should turn around and go pick up our daughter. This was a mistake."

Leroy was not paying attention. Oh, he heard Hiram, loud and clear, but there was no way in hell he was going to turn the car around. His removed his hand from Hiram's and gripped her wheel. He didn't respond. He was calm and now he was furious. Just like that. It was taking everything he had to not lash out.

"Hiram! We are going to talk to Shelby and we are going to tell her to back the hell off. I know she saw Rachel while we were there! They know too much about each other now. She was just too busy with that damn choir! We are going to give Shelby an ultimatum. Either she quits coaching Vocal Adrenaline and moves away or we cut off the contract all together! It's that simple! I will not have my daughter seeing that woman! End of discussion!"

Leroy pressed forward, speeding up as they neared Carmel. Cars whizzed by. He needed to get there, fast, before Hiram did something stupid, like try to reach over Leroy and turn the car around.

Leroy was too angry to see that he ran a red light. He was too angry that he didn't hear Hiram yelling at him to slow down. He was too angry to hear a car honking its horn. He was too angry to see his daughter and Kurt near Carmel High School. He was too concentrated on what he wanted.

It would only be a few more minutes before Kurt's dad would be there. He was, of course, more than happy to give Rachel a ride. He adored that girl very much.

Rachel was quiet. Kurt wanted her to say something. She did, after a beat.

"Quinn said that she thought Shelby Corcoran and I looked familiar. Isn't that silly?" Rachel laughed, but it didn't really sound like a laugh, it was more of a dry bark. "I did some research… Quinn helped." Rachel met Kurt's eyes. "Kurt, I think- I think she is my mother. I think Quinn is right."

Kurt's eyes went wide. He was expecting Rachel to talk, but he wasn't expecting this.

"Rachel, are you positive? Are you sure?" Kurt didn't know what to say. He definitely did not want Rachel to get her hopes up.

Rachel nodded and then shook her head. She didn't know how, but it made sense. It would explain why her father's didn't want her to know about Vocal Adrenaline anymore. It would explain the gold star necklace, maybe, or maybe that was just a coincidence. And it would also explain Rachel's gift of singing.

Just then, Kurt's dad's car could be seen nearing the school.

Kurt got close to Rachel and whispered something to her as his dad pulled in front of them.

"Why don't I have my dad drop us off at Carmel? I can say that we want to walk the rest of the way or that I will walk you home; I know he wouldn't question us. I'm sure your father's wouldn't mind. Let's go and investigate. I can bet that Vocal Adrenaline will still be rehearsing. You know Shelby."

Rachel met Kurt's eyes again. She did know. She nodded as a small smile snaked across her face. It was time she found out the real answer. This time, she wouldn't be alone.

Shelby Corcoran was packing up her things. She had spoken to Lexi in hopes of boosting her confidence. Shelby knew that bringing in a new member was hard, not just for Vocal Adrenaline, but also for her, Lexi. She hated that Vocal Adrenaline were treating her so terribly. She just wanted Nicole to know that is was going to get easy and that she was on the team, for good. She made the team for a reason, because she had talent. She beat out everyone else who auditioned, and that was saying a lot. Lexi would learn so much and would be able to carry that with her for the rest of her life.

Shelby looked at her watch, it was getting late. She was exhausted. She had to teach and reteach a majority of the chorography tonight. It was like Vocal Adrenaline had the memory of a fridge magnet. All Shelby wanted to do was to collapse on her coach with a glass of wine and watch Funny Girl.

Shelby was pulled from her thoughts when he heard a crash. It was a sound like no other. It was the sound of metal hitting metal. It was the kind of sound that made you freeze. Like the world suddenly slowed down. Like you were frozen in ice and if you moved an inch, a sharp pain would shoot through your body.

She could hear her own heart beating like a drum, clear as day. It sounded like it was in her ears as well. Shelby didn't realize she was holding her breath, her eyes wide open. She was paralyzed. What was that? What was going on? Why couldn't she move?

What pushed Shelby to move, what made her adrenaline rush was the cry that could be heard in the theater. It rang out. Shelby felt like she knew that cry.

Shelby grabbed her grabbed her bag and darted out the door. Why weren't her legs moving faster? Move!

The cries became louder. There were shouts. "Someone call 911!" She heard someone yell. "Are those her parents?" another yelled.

"Oh no! No!" That was another familiar voice to Shelby.

"Daddy! Dad! Wake up, please! Open your eyes! Can you hear me? Daddy! Dad! Why aren't you moving! Please, say something! Someone get help, please! Please, someone!" That same little voice was crying out.

Shelby pushed through the doors of the school. It was dark out. She wrapped her jacket tighter around herself. She rushed to where the sound was coming from. Then, she saw a little brunette girl on her hands and knees, bent close to the car that was turned upside down. Crying out to her dads.

Shelby's heart was in her throat. No one had to tell Shelby who that was because she knew her daughter anywhere. Rachel.

**A/N: Once again, thank you so much for all your support! It amazes me how many of you have stumbled across this so fast. I am nervous about posting this chapter and I am sure there are a lot of spelling errors and I apologize for that. I read it over multiple times, but you know, it gets tiring reading the same thing over and over again. Please, please let me know what you think. My goal is to get a new chapter out within a few days, if possible. I got lucky this week and didn't have a lot of homework. Some questions will be answered in chapter three. Summer starts soon and I should have a lot of free time! This is just the start. There is a lot more to come!**


	3. Chapter 3

sillystarshine – Thank you! Rachel's dad aren't dead… yet, but you will have to wait. They might have died mentally, in a way though, if that makes sense. I'm glad you enjoyed my last chapter!

Drea LuRuiz – I totally agree. I adore her so much. That is so cool! I am going to see her in concert this summer. I am so excited! I was going to see her last summer, but she cancelled a majority of her t to be on Glee. I kept thinking to myself it would be worth it, but honestly, it wasn't. Thank you so much for your review and reading!

Holly Rosslyn – Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

LoveDevil82 – Thank you! I hope I can get another chapter out as fast as I got chapter two out!

eMy – Thank you for reading! I will try to get this out as fast as I can.

elphieistheshiz – Thank you so much! I have around thirty or so chapters outlined, so far, but I have a feeling there will be more. As I write chapters I often write more or get inspired to add something, so count on this being a very very long story, more than thirty chapters, as long as my readers are enjoying it!

EllyBelly07 – Thank you! The Berry's are not going to die, just yet, though they have been growing distant from Rachel. Shelby is definitely going to fight for Rachel; it is not going to be easy though, especially because her dads have Rachel on a tight leash. As for your last question, Shelby has her many ways and connections. Also, she is Rachel's mother. They share the same blood. In my mind, Shelby would know her daughter anywhere because she has always been and always will be connected to Rachel. However, your question will be answered in a later chapter, but if you would like to know, feel free to PM me. I hope I answered all your questions! You're very welcome for the long chapters. I wanted to write more in the last chapter, but I was anxious to get it out, especially because I had time to write it out in about four days, when I thought it would take longer.

tlgonzal – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

Vienna98 – Thank you for reading and reviewing! I'm glad Shelby knows as well, too.

ljw – The Berry men will go on quite the journey. Shelby will be there for Rachel. The question is, how much will she be able to give up?

Dee – This is a lot of Rachel, but she does not have to go through this alone.

**I am so so so so sorry! Really, so so so sorry about the delay on this chapter. I had every intent to get this out at least two weeks ago, but I found that I really needed a break from the computer. That and with it being my senior year of high school, I have been a bit occupied.**

**Also, I am still trying to work this website out. I found out that after looking at my previous chapters that where I put two dashes to show a scene change, it did not convert, so I will be sure to not do that again.**

**Lastly, I finally got a chance to catch up on Glee. I was very very disappointed, but I found myself tearing up because I am in the same boat. In just a few days I will be graduating and heading off to college. Anyways, once again, thank you so much for all the support and reviewing and the alerts. Again, I am so sorry for keeping you all waiting… if any of you still follow this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Rachel felt like she had no voice. Nothing was coming out. She was lost in the sounds of the sirens from the ambulance as it pulled to the scene. Lost in her own sobs. She couldn't feel her body. She felt like she was drowning on dry land. Why was this happening? Why was this happening now? To her? And her fathers?

"Rachel," Kurt tried to coax her, as he placed a hand on her back. Rachel shrugged him off.

"Please," Rachel sobbed. She was shaking. "Let me be." Her eyes were still trained on her father's.

"Daddy… dad…" Rachel sobbed, making one last effort to wake her fathers up. Big tears were streaming now her face. Rachel's whole body ached. She was frozen. She couldn't move. There were no words to describe this feeling. It was if the whole world came to a crashing hault.

"Sweetie… Rach…" A new voice said. Someone was behind Rachel. Who was that? Something about that voice… sounded so familiar, yet it sounded so far away

….

"_Miss. Corcoran, I don't understand. I know that you said it would get better, but it hasn't… to be honest," Lexi said. She didn't want to be rude, but it was the truth and Lexi was getting frustrated._

"_Hear me out," Shelby began as she stepped closer to the young girl in front of her. "It's hard, I know. I know that my team is difficult, believe me, I do, but you just need to give them a little more time. They will come around." Shelby sighed lightly. She could tell she was not getting to the girl. "Vocal Adrenaline… they are a hard bunch to crack. They are hard and… not very accepting for a reason… do you understand?" To be honest, Shelby wasn't following her own words, but she needed the girl to know that there was no way in hell she was going to let Vocal Adrenaline decide who did and didn't stay on the team._

_Lexi paused for a beat. Kind of. She kind of understood._

"_Yes, I follow," Lexi said, quietly. In other words, she would have to wait, probably, a whole year before someone on Vocal Adrenaline didn't treat her like complete crap. Or at least until Jesse graduated. Thank goodness it was his last year… or was this year supposed to be his last year? Whoever said high school was so much better, lied._

_Shelby offered Lexi a light smile._

"_You are extremely talented, my dear. I am so proud to have you on this team. Don't ever think that you don't belong here, because you do,"_

_Since when was Shelby Corcoran nice and comforting? Lexi thought to herself. Regardless, it was nice hearing those words come from her mouth._

"_Thank you, Miss. C. I am so honored to be on this team, it really means a lot."_

_The pair stood in silence._

"…_Well, I should get going… I want to be well rested for tomorrow's practice," Lexi said quickly as she reached for her bag. "See you tomorrow and thank you."_

"_You are very welcome. Good work today, Lexi. I will see you tomorrow," Shelby called as she watched Lexi exit the auditorium._

_Shelby had hoped she could cheer the girl up or boost her confidence. She saw the way Vocal Adrenaline brushed her off. It was horrible, yes, but Vocal Adrenaline didn't like new comers. It was like they thought new members weren't qualified enough, or didn't have enough experience, but to Shelby, experience was irrelevant. There was always room for improvement._

_Just then, Shelby was pulled from her thoughts when she heard a heartbreaking cry._

…_._

"Rachel…" Rachel turned around and found herself face to face with Shelby Corcoran, in person. For a moment, Rachel was confused as to why she was there and how she got there, but Rachel soon became conscious of where she was. She was in front of Carmel High School and it was getting dark. She remembered coming here with Kurt in hopes of seeking out this very woman who was in front of her.

Shelby got down at Rachel's level to meet the girl's lost gaze. Should she tell her now? Did she already know?

"Sweetie… my name is-"

"I know who you are," Rachel said quietly as she whipped a few tears away with the back of her hand.

Did she mean Shelby Corcoran? Her mom? Or both? Shelby wondered.

"Ma'am, please step aside so we can get to work," A new voice said.

Both brunettes looked up to see a paramedic standing with a red bag slung over his shoulder. He looked tired, like she had been on call all night.

Rachel started to get worked up again.

"No… no! I can't leave them! I won't leave them! They need me!" Rachel sobbed, trying to catch her breath. Rachel reached over to gently touched Hiram's unresponsive face, but quickly pulled her hand back. "Please…. please…. please help them!" Rachel was shaking. Why were they just standing there? Why did it take them so long to get there?

The paramedic shifted on his feet. "You must be Rachel," He said gently, trying to calm the shaking girl. "My name is Doug and I am going to try my best to help your fathers, but in order for me to do so, I need to you move so I can attend to your dads. Can you do that? They need to get out of the car and to the hospital."

Rachel did not move. She heard him, but she couldn't leave them, not until she could see their eyes.

"We need to get them out!" A voice called from the distance.

"Rachel," Doug tried again. "I promise that I will keep you updated, okay?" Doug needed to get in there. The clock was ticking.

Shelby could see that they were getting nowhere. Her heart broke as she watched as silent tears streamed down Rachel's face.

"Rachel," said gently. "I am going to pick you up, okay?"

With that, Shelby scooped the small brunette into her arms and carried her off to the side, away from the sight of her father's bloodied bodies. Shelby wasn't quite sure what caused her to do this. She wasn't sure how Rachel would react, but Shelby knew that they had to get Rachel away from her fathers.

"It's okay, sweetie," Shelby said softly as Rachel whimpered when Shelby picked her up.

Shelby set Rachel inside the ambulance while paramedics and firefights worked against the clock. Rachel still had not moved. Silent tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

After a beat, Rachel finally spoke.

"What's going to happen to them?" Rachel whispered.

Shelby pulled Rachel closer to her chest, her daughter.

"I don't know sweetie," Shelby said. "I don't know…"

Rachel let a sob escape her mouth. She cried because she was afraid she was going to lose her fathers and she cried because the one person, who she wanted, was holding her, comforting her. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

…..

The ride to the hospital was a blur for Rachel. She didn't remember exactly how long Shelby held her. She wasn't sure how long it took the paramedics to get her father's out from their overturned car. Rachel didn't remember the ride to the hospital.

She did; however, remember when Shelby had to leave her and Rachel hated it. She didn't want to be left with the paramedics.

"I'll be back, okay?" Rachel remembered Shelby telling her.

Before Rachel knew it, she found herself in a room to herself, sitting on a hospital bed. It smelled funny. Hospitals always smelled funny.

A few nurses had come in to check on her to make sure that she wasn't injured to try to get her to try to eat something, but Rachel declined every time. She couldn't eat.

Rachel was sat on the side of the hospital bed, her feet dangling below. Rachel had no more tears. She felt as though she was in a thick cloud, unable to move, unable to see or think clearly.

…

Shelby Corcoran's heart was racing. Just a few minutes ago, she was holding her daughter, Rachel, yet there were so many unsaid words and so many questions.

Shelby was driving to the hospital, to see Rachel and her fathers, as promised, and, believe it or not, one of her students. One of her students was involved in the accident, the accident that could possibly have taken Rachel's fathers from her.

"Damn it!" Shelby yelled as she slammed her fist on the steering wheel. She was hitting every red light and Shelby needed to get to the hospital. She was a very impatient woman, and everyone knew this.

Shelby finally made it to the hospital, ignoring the sound of people's horns as she cut in front of them. She pulled into a parking spot and sprinted through the automatic doors.

"Berry. Hiram and Leory Berry," Shelby said, out of breath to a nurse.

"Ma'am, you are going to have to wait for just a bit longer," the nurse said, clearly bored or something.

"What do you mean, wait?" Shelby spit as she snapped her head around the ER, looking for signs of Rachel.

The nurse sighed and pointed to a sitting area where there was a hand full of people waiting to be attended to.

"Wait over there," The nurse said in a monotone voice.

"I asked you a simple question," Shelby started, calmly, though her voice was beginning to get louder. "Wait? You're kidding right? My daugh-" Shelby clamped her mouth shut.

"Ma'am I cannot give you any information right now. Patient confidentiality. A doctor will come out to speak to all of you soon,"

But, I am her mother. Shelby bit the inside of her mouth. All of you?

Shelby turned her attention back to the sitting area. She recognized one person, Lexi. Why was she here? Why hadn't Shelby noticed them when she first walked in?

…

When a brunette who looked like Rachel's doppelganger rushed inside the hospital, Quinn sat up straighter and nudged Kurt.

Both were waiting to hear about Rachel's fathers. They had all prepared themselves the worse. They had no idea where Rachel was, but they all hoped for the best.

"There she is," Quinn whispered to Kurt.

Kurt looked up and saw Shelby Corcoran, who looked worried. He quickly looked at Quinn and then over to the one student from Vocal Adrenaline.

The pair watched as Shelby frantically tried to get some information out of the nurse. She was in a panic, a panic for her daughter.

They watched as Shelby slowly walked to the waiting area and sat down, off to the side.

"We should talk to her," Kurt started. "Just let her know… that we are here for the same reason…"

"I don't know," Quinn said back.

"Well, you don't have to know, but I do. I know that I am going to speak to her."

With that, Kurt got up from his seat and started walking towards the woman. Before he could make a few steps, a doctor walked through a pair of doors and called out, "Berry,"

All eyes were on him. No one saw Shelby Corcoran break walk off.

…

"Ouch! What the hell do you think you are doing?" Jesse snapped as a nurse tried to administer an IV into his vein. "Stop, just stop! Clearly, you are newbie. This isn't rocket science! You should be able to get this damn needle into my vein in one swipe! Stop!" Jesse pushed the nurse away. "I am fine! No broken bones, barely a scratch! Just let me leave!"

"Sir,"

"My name is Jesse! I am not 90 years old! Do not call me sir!"

"Jesse, you need to hold still, please. You cannot leave. You were pretty shook up. You may seem fine, but we need to take every precaution. You CAT scans results should be in soon. The sooner you let me check you out, the sooner you can get out of here,"

Jesse wasn't having this. This was complete bullshit. He had a huge competition coming up and there was no time for needles and checkups. The show would go on. Hell, if he had only one arm, he would still take the stage.

"I have told you I-"

"am fine," The nurse parroted back. "But, that is not happening right now, Jesse"

"You are such a-"

"Jesse!" Shelby's voice boomed.

The two turned to see Shelby Corcoran standing in the doorframe, arms crossed.

Shelby walked towards Jesse, her heels clicking against the tiled floor. Shelby's eyes then softened. For a second, she was worried that her lead singer might be hurt.

"Are you okay? What happened, Jesse? Why were you still at Carmel?"

Shelby didn't know whether or not to be angry at Jesse, but she was concerned. She needed to know all the facts.

For a beat, Jesse didn't respond. How did Shelby get here? How did she know he was in an accident?

"I-" Jesse began. "Was just pulling out of the parking lot when I realized that I left something in the auditorium, so I um, took like a U-turn and… and then, I don't… I don't know,… I guess I know of hit a car." Jesse paused. "Well, actually, I definitely had the right of way, now that I think of it. Some ass got in my way!" Jesse threw his hands up. "And now, my is like ruined! I hope that ass has good insurance!"

Shelby could not believe watch she was hearing. He kind of hit a car?

"Jesse! You're kidding, right? You did not have the right of way! You didn't! You can't make a U-turn right outside the school parking lot!" Shelby took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "That person, you hit, is in serious condition! In fact, there were two people in that car! Both could die tonight!" Shelby stopped. She was furious. Why were the Berry's outside Carmel? Why was Rachel there too?

"I'll… give you two a minute," The nurse said. With that, she left, quickly as she stripped her hands of her white gloves.

"Whatever," Jesse mumbled.

"It's not whatever, Jesse!" Shelby snapped. "The last thing you should be worrying about is your car!"

"What?" Jesse snapped. "How the hell am I going to get to school now?"

"Seriously?" Shelby said. "You can walk! You can get a ride with a friend! You can take the bus!"

Shelby pinched the bridge of her nose. She would not lose it right now, right here.

"Jesse," Shelby started. "You will not be performing anymore. Lexi will be taking your solo."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jesse screamed as he knocked over a table of supplies in rage. "Fuck that! Fuck it! You are just setting up our team to fucking fail of you pull me out! Do you really want to do that? I don't think so! They are all going to hate you if you lose because you will! You won't stand a chance without me! You know what? I don't even care! Go, have Lexi take over and fail!"

Shelby pushed her lips together.

"Feel better, Jesse. I am glad you did not get hurt,"

Shelby left Jesse and walked out, in search of Rachel. She needed to fine her. Rachel was probably scared to death. If she wasn't with the group in the waiting room, where was she?

…..

Jesse screamed. This was not happening. That bitch! After all these years she never did this! He always got the solos and was the star!

"_Damn it," Jesse thought to himself as he started to pull out of the Carmel High School parking lot._

_Jesse just realized he had left his coat in the auditorium. He thought about waiting until tomorrow to get it, but he decided against it. He needed it if he didn't get it, he would worry all night that someone might take it. A janitor maybe. What if someone stole it?_

_With that, Jesse made a U-turn. No one was coming and there were no police cars in sight. Making this U-turn would just be a lot easier and painless, Jesse thought._

….

The group waiting for news on the Berry's gathered around the doctor, all holding their breaths in anticipation.

The doctor pulled a chair up as she shook all their hands.

"My name is Dr. Drummand." He paused, watching everyone carefully. He took a deep breath. "Right now, is very vital and crucial. Both Leroy and Hiram are in serious condition. They are stable, but they have a long road and I predict a handful of surgeries and physical therapy sessions a head of them. However, remember, they are stable, so that is very good news."

Dr. Drummand watched as the group watched him.

"I cannot tell you how much I wish I could bring more good news, but it is hard to tell where they stand right now. Their bodies are pretty beat up. We are going to proceed with an emergency surgery for each and we will just go from there."

"What exactly are you doing?" Mr. Hummel cut in as he pulled his son closer to him.

"Yeah, what are you going to do to them?" Kurt said.

"Well, both Berry's hit their heads pretty hard. Concussions cannot be treated, really, it will eventually heal itself, but, as far as memory loss goes, we will have to wait until they wake up to see." Dr. Drummand started.

"Are you saying they aren't going to remember Rachel?" Quinn asked.

"I can't promise you anything," Dr. Drummand said. "Again, when they wake up, I'll be able to give you more answers,"

The doctor continued. "Leroy was driving, which was the side of the car that sustained a majority of the impact. He sustained a pretty seriously back injury… it is sort of like whip lash, but at least a hundred times worse," He doctor paused. He was trying to explain the men's injuries as simple as possible.

"Is he going to be paralyzed?" Kurt asked.

"No, he is not paralyzed," The doctor reassured him.

"Hiram has a punctured lung. Internally, there is a lot of damage from where his seat belt was fastened," A beat. "I know this is a lot to take in right now, but I promise that I will keep all of you updated.

Dr. Drummand got up and shook Kurt's father's hand and left. Now what? He loved his job, but the part that never got easy was delivering heart breaking news… or really, no news at all.

It was funny really, how seatbelts were supposed to save someone's life, in reality, they could do a lot of damage.

…..

Rachel had it. She simply could not wait any longer. A nurse had told her about half an hour ago that she would come back and give Rachel an update. Rachel did not like being alone. She wanted to see her fathers.

Rachel kept on thinking back to when Shelby was holding her. It felt right, yet it hurt. It was as though Shelby was holding and comforting her as a stranger. A stranger who just happened to be there when the accident happened.

Rachel looked over her shoulder and saw who she suspected was a social worker, talking to a doctor. Probably her father's doctor. Come in here, Rachel thought, and tell me what is going to happen to my fathers. That social worker wasn't family. Why did she get to be updated?

The girl jumped down from her hospital bed and stepped out into the hall, in search for her fathers. She was not going to watch another minute.

Rachel found her father's room. She thought it would be a difficult task, but it wasn't. Rachel found herself standing alone in a room with her fathers. The only other sounds were Rachel's heavy breathing and the somewhat steady beep of the heart monitors hooked up to her fathers.

Her father's in the same room. The hospital was always getting backed up. Rachel made a mental note that if she had children, she would not bring them here.

Rachel's eyes filled with tears and she began to shake as she got closer to her father's.

"Daddy," Rachel sobbed. "Dad! Please, wake up! Open your eyes!"

Rachel carefully sat herself at the foot of Hiram's bed and sobbed, not caring who heard her. Not caring that she was probably not supposed to be in the room, let alone on the bed. She just needed to see them, but seeing them hurt more, but at least she wasn't alone.

….

Shelby stormed down the hall, back to the waiting room.

"Miss. Corcoran," A small voice said.

Shelby looked down and found her face to face with a young boy, brown hair. He had style, Shelby thought to herself.

"Miss. Corcoran," The voice started up again after Shelby did not acknowledge him. "My name is Kurt Hummel."

"What can I do for you, Kurt?" Shelby asked, trying her best to stay calm.

"I-" he began. "I know who you are. You are the coach of Vocal Adrenaline." Kurt kneaded his hands together. He looked over his shoulder. His father was reading a newspaper from a few days ago, Quinn was watching him carefully, and that Vocal Adrenaline member was letting her gaze scan around the hospital. She seemed out of place.

"I… the doctor came out…. It's not good," How did his boy know she was here for the Berry's?

"It's not good at all." Kurt lowered his head. "Rachel… she is…."

Shelby tried to meet Kurt's eyes.

"Do you know where Rachel is, Kurt?" Shelby asked gently. "It is really important that I find her," This boy must be one of Rachel's friends, Shelby thought. She kind of remembered seeing him at the accident. Was he the one who called 911?

Kurt began to shake his head. He wished he did. If he did, he would be there, trying to comfort her.

No one really knew where she was, probably, except the nurses, that is, until Shelby, for the second time, heard the cries of someone, Rachel.

Why wasn't anyone with Rachel in the first place?

Shelby learned from multiple emergencies like this, that no one answered anyone's questions. There were a hell of a lot of pity looks and lot of murmuring from doctors and nurses. You had to do a lot of waiting. While the doctors were trying to do their jobs, they weren't doing their job of updating families. Rachel must have given up waiting and went in search for her father's.

"I think… I know where she is," Shelby said as she brushed past Kurt.

Lexi looked up as saw her coach slip inside the Berry's ICU room, followed by a few nurses.

…..

_Lexi was just getting into her car when the sound of metal hitting metal made her spin around. The sound was terrifying, it made her heart beat pick up, but it was the screas that followed that made her hold her breath and squeeze her eyes shut._

_Please, Lexi thought to herself, as she saw the damage, please be okay. Don't be dead._

_Lexi did not know who this little brunette was or who that young boy was, but the brunette looked a lot like Shelby Corcoran. However, she knew that Jesse was in the opposite car. What the hell was he doing back? What could he possibly want? He was actually an idiot, but there was no Lexi would tell that to him. He would most likely find a way to get her kicked off the team if she told him that. Some things were best left unsaid. Part of life was about dealing with morons like Jesse._

_Lexi didn't know what to do. Should she stay? Would the police question her? She sat frozen in her car, watching the scene unravel in front of her._

_The last image that stuck in Lexi's mind as she found herself driving to the hospital was of Shelby Corcoran picking the crying child in hers and rocking her back and forth._

…..

When Shelby burst through the ICU room, she saw Rachel as two nurses were trying to get her attention, but Rachel kept pushing them back.

"Don't touch me!" Rachel wailed. "Don't! Please… just…"

"Sweetie, you need to get down so we can take your father's into surgery," One female nurse tried.

"No!" Rachel sobbed. "No!"

"Rachel, you father's are hurt. They need a lot of medical attention. In order for them to get better, we need to take them into surgery," The other nurse tried.

"Why aren't any of you telling me anything?" Rachel sobbed. "I can handle it! I am not a baby! Just tell me… please… tell me, are my father's going to live?"

"I don't know," One nurse said, honestly. "What I do know is that if we don't get them into surgery now, both their chances of survival will go down."

It wasn't that Rachel didn't understand. She obviously could tell that they were hurt. She wanted them to get better, now. But Rachel was scared to the point she was paralyzed. It hurt to move. She was terrified of losing her fathers because if they died, she would have no one. She would be an orphan. Like Annie.

"I can't…." Rachel hiccupped.

"Rachel," A new voice said softly.

The two nurses turned around and saw a taller brunette staring at Rachel with tears in her eyes. How long had she been there?

"Ma'am, you can't be here," The female nurse started.

Shelby Corcoran ignored the nurse and walked towards Rachel. And, for the second time that day, she picked the small girl into her arms. Again, she wasn't sure what caused her to do this. For all she knew, Rachel might see her as a stranger, but Rachel did not fight Shelby. She allowed Shelby to pick her up and carry her. Rachel wrapped her arms around her woman's neck and clung on for dear life.

Shelby carried Rachel into an empty room, ignoring all the questioning looks she got from the group that were still waiting in the sitting area.

The older woman climbed into the stiff hospital bed and pulled Rachel against her chest. A few stray tears fell from her eyes as she felt Rachel's tiny body shaking against her.

Shelby had no experience with little girls, or babies, really. She didn't know how to comfort this girl. She barely knew her. Shelby did the only thing she knew that comforted her when she was upset. She sang.

"_There's a place for us, somewhere a place for us, peace and quiet and open air, wait for us somewhere…"_

Shelby leaned back and stroked Rachel's hair off her damp forehead and then rubbed light circles on Rachel's back.

The woman began to blame herself for all of this. If she hadn't kept Lexi longer, maybe she would have run into Rachel sooner, or her fathers. None of this would have happened if she had not given Rachel up for adoption, but that was a stretch, right? If she had noticed that Jesse had left something, maybe she could have prevented the accident.

"_There's a time for us, some day, a time for us, time together with time to spare, time to learn, time to care…"_

Rachel felt safe in Shelby's arms. When Shelby's angelic voice started singing a song from West Side Story, Rachel began to relax. Her breathing back to normal, almost. Rachel loved this song. This and anything by Babs. Rachel's eyes began to droop as she tried to stay awake. She didn't want to miss this. She didn't want to miss the Shelby Corcoran singing to her, singing one of the most beautifully written songs for Broadway.

"_Some day, somewhere, we'll find a new way of living, oh, we'll find a way of forgiving, somewhere…."_

Shelby held Rachel all night and early into the morning. She did not leave Rachel's side for even a second. Rachel needed her more than anything, or, at least until her father's were better.

Shelby pushed the boundaries by doing this, but she didn't care. She knew about the contract, but who else would be here. Did Rachel have anyone else? An adult she trusted? There was no way of knowing because of that damn contract she signed when she was just starting out her life. She promised herself, right there, that she would find a way to convince Rachel's father's to be a part of her life. Now that Shelby found her daughter, she wanted everything to do with her.

….

Shelby rolled her head to the side as she began to wake up. Her neck and back were sore. Hospital beds were extremely uncomfortable. Shelby glanced at the clock; it was about 2:10 in the morning.

"Shelby Corcoran?" A male voice asked.

"Yes, that's me," Shelby mumbled.

Her whole body was numb. She looked down and realized that Rachel was still in her arms and, thankfully, still sleeping. She couldn't remember what time they both fell asleep, but she did remember that she did not let herself fall asleep until she knew Rachel was sleeping. Even when she knew she had been asleep for at least an hour, Shelby kept a watchful eye on her, just in case she woke up in the middle of the night or if they doctor brought more news.

The doctor pulled up a chair and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Drummand," He glanced between the two brunettes. "Rachel's fathers did extremely well. Now, we just need to wait until they wake up,"

Shelby sat up a little straighter.

"Okay," She licked her lips and paused. Was he going to say more?

"They will be uncomfortable when they wake up and just want to make sure that Rachel is prepared for that. They are… they don't look good. They are covered I bruises and scratches,"

"I can let her know," Shelby cut in. "I-"

"I know," the doctor started. He took a deep breath. "I know that you are Rachel's birth mother; however, there is an understanding that a contract is in place." Shelby nodded. She knew she would kick herself later for agreeing to the contract. "I hate to say this, but Rachel will have to remain in the hospital for now."

Shelby bit the inside of her mouth. She knew this was coming.

"You have to understand that her father's are not conscious to make this call. There is a social worker here who can take care of Rachel for the time being. It won't be for long, just until her father's are up. We will take care of Rachel." The doctor paused. You are more than welcome to stay, but, again, once her dads wake up, more questions will be answered."

Shelby pulled Rachel closer to her chest and nodded.

Dr. Drummand stood up and shook the woman's hand.

"Rachel can see her father's if she would like. They are sleeping, but I think she would like to see them." He turned to walk away. "You know, her friends stayed her the entire night. She must be something special,"

"She is," Shelby whispered as the doctor walked away.

Rachel was everything. She was beautiful. Shelby thought about her constantly, wondering if giving her up was the right decision. Wondering if she liked to sing. Or if she liked Broadway. Or what movies she liked to watch. Or what celebrity crushes she had.

Shelby had to convince herself that it was. There was no way she would be able to care for Rachel and get a job to support them both. The moment when Shelby saw Rachel, she wanted her, but she couldn't have her. Rachel was whisked away. Shelby didn't even get to hold her and now, she was holding Rachel, thirteen year old Rachel.

"I love you," Shelby whispered as she planted a kiss on Rachel's temple. "I will fight to get you back."

Shelby glanced at the clock again. She had an hour before Vocal Adrenaline had rehearsal.

**A/N: Once again, I am so sorry. I am. I don't want to go this long without updating you guys. Let me know what you think. A lot more to come! Thanks again for reviewing and all the updates.**


	4. Chapter 4

tlgonzal – Thank you so much! I'm glad people are enjoying this story! I'm so excited about starting college in a few months! Graduation is in a few days and I know I'm going to be a complete mess, yet so exciting.

ljw – Thank you so much. I hope I don't disappoint!

caseyrn12 – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Rachel definitely wants to make her dads proud. She tries very hard and she feels as though that still isn't enough. She does have a ballet recital coming up! There will definitely be more Rachel/Quinn scenes! I did consider having Rachel placed in a home in this story while her father's are recovering because it would set up the scene for some great plot lines; however, this hospital may that reliable.

Nicole – Thank you so much!

EllyBelly07 – I made sure to add Rachel's age as a reminder for my readers and myself! I keep picturing adult Lea Michele and I have to remember that she is still very young in this story. I don't want to give away too much, but some of your questions will be answered! Thank you so much for reviewing!

eMy – Thank you so much! I will try to get this out as soon as I can! Now that summer has begun, I have more time!

CallMeKiera – Thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope Shelby and Rachel will be able to help each other grow; it will be a difficult journey.

Drea LuRuiz – Thank you! I am so excited about seeing Idina Menzel in concert! I've scouted out all the videos that have been put on YouTube from her tour so far and I am beyond excited! That's so cool that you will get to see her perform for NYE!

**Thank you so much for all the reviews and alerts! It makes me so happy to know that people are enjoying this story. Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy! I tried to get this out the other night, but I decided to change around a major plotline last minute.**

**Also, I created a tumblr because I heard through the grape vine that FF will be taking down some stories, while I don't think my story is in jeopardy, you can follow me here just in case it does get taken down. **

It was too early, too early for the sun to be up and too early for any living being to be up. It was almost four in the morning and Vocal Adrenaline had a rehearsal. Shelby had been telling them from the very start that it was best to get practice out of the way early in the morning. It got the blood flowing.

Nicole was nursing a cup of coffee as she watched her teammates drag their feet into the auditorium. She hoped this would be painless and that it was be over soon.

"Alright, everyone!" A voice boomed. "Let's start warming up our voices before Shelby gets here!"

Before Shelby gets here? They never started practice without her, Nicole thought. Who could that be? She only had one guess. Low and behold, in walked Jesse St. James. Of course. Who ese would that be.

"Who put you in charge?" A voice groaned.

"Well, clearly, I am the most qualified here and I have been in this group the longest, so I know how to run a practice. Now, do you want to warm up your voices now, or would you rather wait?" Jesse asked.

I would rather wait, Nicole thought to herself. Shelby's practices were extremely demanding, but that woman sure as hell knew what she was doing. Jesse would probably cause someone to seriously hurt their vocal chords.

…

Leroy felt his head pounding. It was like a headache, but much worse… much, much worse. This wasn't the kind of headache he got when Rachel quizzed him on Broadway shows and Barbra, this was much different. Leroy tried to move his head, but he couldn't. His head was foggy. Off in the distance, was a constant beeping sound. Oh, shit.

"Leroy," A soft voice said.

Leroy opened his eyes and met them with the woman standing in front of his. The two were silent for a beat.

Before Leroy could open his mouth to speak, the door opened.

"Good morning, Leroy." Dr. Drummand said as he looked through Leroy's chart. "You and Hiram took quite a tumble the other night. Do you remember what happened?"

Dr. Drummand pulled a flashlight out of the front pocket and shinned it into Leroy's eyes.

Leroy shook his head. No, he didn't, well, not really. He remembered bits and pieces of what happened. The last thing he remembered was getting in a fight with Hiram, but what about?

"That's okay." Dr. Drummand said calmly. "That's to be expected. You and Hiram got in an accident outside Carmel High School the other night." The doctor paused as he watched the man's eyes widen. His heart beat began to pick up. "Leroy, it's okay. You're okay and so is Hiram. You both had surgery, which went extremely well." The doctor put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Rachel is fine. She was there… not in the car… but outside Carmel. She was shaken up quite a bit, but she is here in the hospital and she is sleeping."

A nurse walked in and began to check Leroy's vitals as Dr. Drummand continued.

"As far as recovery goes, your husband should be able to be discharged soon, maybe even tomorrow. When we went into surgery, we were expecting the worst, but he was in much better condition. You will most likely need to stay an extra night, but there is no need to be concerned. We just want to monitor you closely."

Leroy tried to open his mouth to speak. His throat was parched and sore from where a breathing tube was put during surgery.

"Can I-" Leroy tried to get out.

"See Rachel?" The doctor asked. "She's-"

Shelby cut in.

"She's sleeping, but, doctor, I think that she would really like to see her father right now."

Dr. Drummand paused for a bit and then nodded.

"Very well. Do you know where she is?"

Shelby Corcoran wanted to get Rachel. She wanted to bring Rachel to her father, but time was getting tight. Vocal Adrenaline were probably already at the school. Shelby had to get up and leave because Nationals were just a few days away and time was of the essence.

"She is still in the room a few doors down," Shelby started, quickly. She then turned to Leroy. "I'm glad to hear you are doing well. I'll stop by later, okay?"

Leroy just nodded, pressing his lips together. How did this woman get in the middle of this? However, Leroy was in too much pain to do anything right now or say anything.

Shelby just simply nodded back and walked out the door, unsure of where she stood with the two men now. She wasn't sure if they were mad that she stepped in to help Rachel, but she surely wasn't going to just walk by Rachel the other night. If she did, who would have been there to hold her?

Once Shelby left, the doctor pulled a chair up next to Leroy.

"Leroy, I know it is difficult to talk right now, but everything is under control, okay? Shelby will not get custody of Rachel; I will make sure of it."

Leroy tried for a second time to open his mouth, but Dr. Drummand continued talking.

"I had to fib a bit to Shelby. I told her that a social worker would watch over her for the time being. It is a tiny fib, but there will be no social worker; however, I will make sure a nurse will check on her to protect the hospital. Children come in here all the time and just spend the night in an empty room while their parents are recovering, okay? It's not like you and Hiram are spending more than a few nights here."

When Leroy had woken up a few hours ago while a nurse was checking his vitals, he was informed that Shelby Corcoran was with Rachel. It angered him so much, but there was nothing he could do. He was physically, too weak to do anything.

Leroy wondered if that was allowed. Were children allowed to just spend the night in an unused hospital room? Surely, they would need that space. Leroy shook it off. Dr. Drummand and this hospital seemed qualified. There was no use questioning Dr. Drummand now, when he could barely speak more than two words.

Dr. Drummand got up and lightly patted Leroy on the leg.

"I'm going to check on Hiram. Get some rest."

…

Rachel stretched her legs out. She turned to her side and felt the spot next to her. It was empty and cold, like it had been left there for a few hours.

Rachel sat straight up and looked around. She was alone in a hospital room… again. Rachel closed her eyes and tried to remember what happened last night. She couldn't tell whether or not it was a dream or if it was real.

She remembered going to Carmel High School with Kurt. Where was Kurt now? Did he make it home? Then, Rachel remembered seeing her father's car flipped over. She remembered screaming and nothing was coming out. She remembered crying for help and calling out to her fathers, but they weren't responding. She remembered someone picking her up. Shelby Corcoran, coach of Vocal Adrenaline. She must have just gotten out of practice. Then, somehow Rachel was in the hospital. Now, no one was answering her questions and Rachel was left to get swallowed in her own thoughts.

Rachel shook her head and jumped off the bed. She wanted to find her father's and possibly Shelby, if she was still here in the hosptial.

Rachel hesitantly opened the door of the room and stuck her head out. It was quiet. Only a few nurses were lounging around, talking quietly, and drinking coffee. Rachel stepped out and headed to find her dads. She wasn't quite sure were to begin her search, but she had to start somewhere.

"I just want to check on Hiram and then I'm going to take my lunch break," a voice said down the hall.

Rachel's ears perked up. How many Hirams were in his hospital? She followed the voice and then spotted Dr. Drummand. She knew him since she was very young. He had always been her doctor, no one else.

Apparently, Hiram's room wasn't far from hers.

"Dr. Drummand!" Rachel called out and she picked up her pace.

"Rachel!" Dr. Drummand said. "It's so nice to see you. How are you, sweetie?" The doctor gave Rachel a light hug. "What a crazy night, huh?"

Rachel bit the inside of her mouth and nodded.

"Are you going to see my dad?

"I am. Do you want to come with me? I'm sure Hiram would be very happy to see you."

Rachel nodded again. She was nervous. She didn't know what to expect. Last night she saw her dad; his face was covered in blood. It was a sight she knew would never leave her memory.

"He's just in the room right here," Dr. Drummand said and he lightly pushed her into the room.

The inside of Hiram's room was dark. His heart monitor was beeping softly in the background.

"Hiram?" Dr. Drummand asked lightly.

Was he awake? Rachel wondered. She couldn't tell.

"Yes?" a voice responded.

"Someone is here to see you," the doctor said.

Dr. Drummand pushed Rachel forward. She didn't have anything to worry about, right? Hiram was going to be just fine. He was a fighter. He always was.

"Dad?" Rachel asked as stood by her father's side.

…

Shelby jogged down the halls of Carmel and burst through the doors to the auditorium. She could hear them warming up. It sounded pretty good.

"Sorry everyone," she called as she made her way to the stage. "I had to take care of a few things." She surveyed everyone in front of her. "I'm so glad to see all of you. Thank you for warming up your voices. They sound wonderful! Who led warm up?"

"I did, Shelby," Jesse St. James said with confidence.

Shelby could feel the furry building inside of her. Jesse led warm up? What the hell was he doing here?

"Jesse," Shelby said coldly.

"What?" Jesse challenged.

"Can you please speak with me outside?" Shelby wanted to avoid as much drama as she could. She could have sworn everyone already heard the news.

Just then, another voice broke the silence.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry I am late. I-" It was Lexi.

"That's fine, Lexi," Shelby started. "You just missed warm up. You can warm up right now, while I speak to Jesse privately."

"You're kidding, right?" Jesse said. "She's late and you let her off the hook?"

"Jesse, it's fine," Shelby said.

"Why don't you say what's on your mind," Jesse said. He threw his hands up in the air. "Say it! What have to say to me, you can say in front of everyone here! There are no secrets!"

Shelby crossed her arms.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am not sure if you are aware of what happened here, outside of Carmel, late last night," her eyes flickered towards Jesse. "Mr. Jesse St. James was in a car accident," Shelby could hear a few gasps. "Mr. Jesse St. James forgot something that could simply not wait until this morning." A beat. "Now I am sure," Shelby started as she weaved her way through the students, "that you know U-turns are not allowed outside the parking lot. Am I right?" A few heads nodded. They all knew. "Jesse, here, decided to foolishly make a U-turn because it would be easier." Shelby paused and turned towards Jesse. "Please, stop me if I am getting this wrong." Shelby turned back to the students. "While making that U-turn, Jesse crashed into a car, which flipped over. The two men in the car are fine, thankfully, but they were lucky, extremely lucky. Let this be for all of you." Shelby walked to the front of the stage. "Follow the rules, regardless is there is an easy way out. Now, for every wrong action, there is a consequence. As punishment for disobeying the rules, Mr. Jesse St. James has been cut. He will no longer be performing at Nationals."

All eyes turned to Jesse who looked as though he was going to lash out. A few people backed off.

"Jesse is not allowed back on the team and he was told this last night. I am still trying to figure out why he is here, when he shouldn't be. In the meantime, Lexi will be given the solo."

The room went dead silent. A pin dropping could be heard.

Lexi hated this. Well, yes and no. She was so excited to be given the solo, but she knew she had made more enemies. In addition, she had to learn three whole numbers by the end of the week. It seemed impossible, but she was up for the challenge. She had four days, counting today, to pull it all together.

"Now," Shelby started. "if there are no more questions, I'd like to start rehearsing. Jesse, you may see yourself out."

No one dared moved. No one knew what to do.

"Now!" Shelby voiced boomed.

…

Kurt and Quinn sat in Kurt's room. They were worried about Rachel. She was not in school today.

"Do you think she is okay?" Quinn asked.

"No," Kurt said honestly. "Her dads almost died. I'd be a mess if I had to see my parents like that."

The pair sat in silence.

"Did you see Shelby?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah," Kurt said. "that was really kind of her." A beat. "I wonder if… I wonder if Shelby knows that Rachel knows."

Quinn shrugged her shoulders. No one really knew what was happening or what would happen now.

"What are we supposed to do?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know," Kurt said.

The two didn't know what to say. All they wanted to do was help Rachel and be there for her, but that just wasn't possible. They couldn't be at the hospital.

"I tried to tell Shelby," Kurt said.

"I saw," Quinn said. "I think that… she knows."

"You do?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, I just… I don't know. I have this hunch that she knows." Quinn paused. "I just…I wouldn't be surprised."

The two fell back into silence again.

"Maybe my dad could take us back to the hospital tomorrow after school… or maybe we can bake Rachel a cake or something." Quinn gave Kurt a questioning look. "I just… I don't want to sit here and do nothing. Rachel needs us and we are here and she is there. We… she needs us,"

"I know," Quinn said quietly as she wrapped her arms around Kurt. She did. She cared about Rachel so much. Quinn wished she was older because that meant she could drive.

….

"Dad?" Rachel tried again after she didn't get a response.

"Hello," Hiram said cautiously.

Rachel took his hands in her own as tears started to pour out of her eyes.

"Dad, I'm so – I'm so glad you're not dead. I thought- I- I thought that I lost you and dad." Rachel was sobbing now. She leaned forward to give her father a hug.

"I… I'm sorry… I… what are you talking about? I'm not… you must be mistaken... I'm not your father." Hiram said as he pulled his hand out of Rachel's grasp.

…

Shelby sat at her director's table as she watched Vocal Adrenaline run through the first number. They weren't bad, more Lexi wasn't bad. In fact, she was phenomenal. She learned quickly and applied criticism to her performance. She had a show face and a voice that everyone should and would kill for.

Shelby glanced at her watch. It was almost seven pm. She wanted to get back to the hospital to check on the Berry's, but she could not afford to waste time doing that. She had to make sure Lexi knew her solo front and back by tonight. There was a lot of pressure on Lexi, but Shelby was sure she was up for the challenge.

Shelby tried to read everyone's face. She needed them to be okay with her decision. Sure, any one of them could have taken Jesse's part, but Lexi needed this, the team needed this. The instant Lexi walked into the audition, Shelby knew the girl had something.

_Lexi took a deep breath. This was her moment. She was scared. She heard all the horror stories of the audition process to join Vocal Adrenaline. Lexi knew Shelby Corcoran was a tough coach, but she was the best of the best._

_The student in front of her walked out in tears._

"_I suck," he said quietly as he walked off down the hall._

_Great, Lexi thought. I'm going to suck too._

_Lexi took a deep breath and walked to the center of the stage with her head held high. She was going to give it her all. She wanted this more than anything._

"_Hello, my name is Lexi Branch and I will be singing 'A Little Fall of Rain' from Les Misérables."_

_Lexi had spent the whole summer trying to find the best audition songs. She knew Shelby Corcoran required at least three different songs from three different genres for the audition. In addition, everyone had to learn a dance number and perform it, all in the same day, as well as run scales, one on one. It was intimidating, but in reality, it was preparation for the real world._

Lexi needed to prove to them that she deserved to be on the team and that she had just as much talent, if not more and that was a hard worker and could learn quickly.

"Good job, everyone," Shelby said at the end of their set. "Take five and then I want to run through some chorography that was sloppy that you all should have corrected from our last rehearsal."

Everyone filed out of the room. Shelby leaned back in her chair and squeezed the bridge of her nose.

"Miss. Corcoran," Nicole said.

Shelby looked up to acknowledge the girl.

"What can I do for you sweetie?"

"I just… I want to say that I think you make the right decision… picking Lexi and all." Shelby nodded. "I… I would have liked that solo, but Lexi's good. She's really good."

"Nicole, you need to understand why I made this decision. Not only is Lexi a hell of a singer, but she is also a very sweet girl and she has not been welcomed on this team. I need you all, including you, to understand that I'm not cutting Lexi from the team. She auditioned and worked her ass off. She deserves this. I suggest that you tell all your friends to cut the crap and accept her or you'll find yourselves at the back of the number. Got it?"

Nicole nodded and darted off. She wasn't expecting that reaction from Shelby, but she deserved it. She had been one of the people who had completely shut Lexi off. She was the new girl, and she was at the bottom of the food chain.

…..

Rachel's mouth dropped open.

"Dad! It's me! It's Rachel! Your daughter! You are married to Leroy!" Rachel flung herself towards him, only to be held back by Dr. Drummand. "What's wrong? Why doesn't he remember?" Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Her whole body was shaking.

"Rachel, look at me. Look at me, sweetie." Rachel met Dr. Drummand's eyes. "This is not uncommon, okay? Your father hit his head really hard and the anesthesia is still in his system. You need to give it time to wear off and you need to give your father some time, okay? He has been through a lot, his body has been through a lot."

Rachel shook herself from his grasp.

"No! It's not okay! He doesn't remember me!" Rachel ran back to her father's side.

"Don't you remember me? Don't you remember taking me and Quinn to New York City! Remember how we would watch Funny Girl on rainy days! Don't you remember catching fire flies! Dad! Please, you have to remember!"

Rachel was trying desperately to list off all the things she did with Hiram and Leroy. How could he not remember any of it? How did someone's memory just erase everything? It didn't make any sense.

"I'm- I'm so sorry, Rachel. I wish I could do something… to help you, but I don't… I don't know what you are talking about. I am not married. I never had a daughter…" Hiram didn't know what to do. He looked towards Dr. Drummand for help. What was his name?

"Rachel, why don't you let me speak with your father for a bit, okay? Rachel?"

Rachel had her eyes locked on her father. Remember, remember me, please, Rachel thought. She didn't think that things could get worse than her father's getting in an accident, but it did get worse. What was she supposed to do now? How would she take care of her fathers? Wasn't there supposed to be someone here to help her?

Rachel needed to get out of here. She couldn't be here. It was a dream. It was only a dream, right?

"I'm ready!" Rachel screamed. "I'm ready to wake up now!" Wasn't this the part of dream were you woke up? "This can all be over now," Rachel sobbed as she collapsed on the floor. She thought that maybe… she could wake herself up… or something like that.

"Rachel," Dr. Drummand said softly as he knelt in front of the girl. "It is going to be okay. I am going to check your father out, okay? Please, go back the room you were in and wait there. I won't be long. You can't be in here right now."

"No!" Rachel sobbed. "No! Don't leave me!" Rachel latched onto the doctor's arm.

"Rachel, I'll be real quick, okay? I promise. Rachel?"

Rachel bit her lip and ran out the room. She needed to check… or test something. If this was a dream, then she couldn't feel pain, right?

…..

It was getting close to ten and Shelby could barely sit still. There was still so much work to do, but her mind kept wandering to Rachel. How was she? How were her fathers? Was someone there with Rachel? Had she eaten?

At the same time, Shelby knew this was important and she needed to focus. Some of her students needed this win and Shelby certainly did not want to leave her students to fend for themselves.

"Stop!" Shelby called. Yes, they definitely needed her. "All of you keep making the same mistake! Do I have to demonstrate?"

Shelby huffed and walked towards the stage as she shouted out instructions. This was not rocket science.

…

Rachel ran back to the room she was in when she arrived at the hospital. She thought she saw a scalpel lying around somewhere. Why, she wasn't sure, but she needed to find it… just to check.

Rachel opened and closed the drawers frantically in the room until she found what she was looking for. This wouldn't exactly be called cutting, right? It was just… she was going to use it to see if this was a dream because it surely felt like one. A horrible nightmare that was going on too long. If she just lightly pressed the scalpel into her skin, she would wake up, in her bed. Her fathers would be downstairs baking chocolate chip pancakes and singing show tunes. It was simple as that.

Rachel took a deep breath. Her hand was shaking. What if this wasn't a dream? What if this was real life? Rachel quickly thought back to an assembly she had at school about teen suicide. How teens that cut themselves did it and what way she could cut to avoid the most blood loss.

Rachel took another deep breath and slightly swiped the scalpel across the top of her arm and instantly let out a cry as bright red blood seeped through the opening and down her arm. No, this was real life.

…

"Hiram," Dr. Drummand began and he pulled a chair up. "I know you must have a lot-"

"Who was that girl? Should I know her? Why did she keep calling me dad? I am not her father, nor am I married to… what was that name?"

"Leroy," the doctor answered

"Yes, I am not married to any Leroy. Please, tell me what is going on?"

Dr. Drummand took a deep breath. He could see the pain in Hiram's eyes… pain and confusion.

"Hiram, you were in a serious car accident. Leroy, the man are you married to, was driving. The accident happened outside Carmel High School. Your daughter, Rachel, the girl who was just in this room, was there."

There was a beat.

"I don't remember… anything. I wish… I could because that poor girl broke my heart. I wish there was something I could do for her."

Hiram was truly upset and frustrated. He wanted to remember, he really did. He felt hopeless and lost. He tried to remember the last person he remembered seeing, but he couldn't. His mind was empty.

"Is Leroy okay?"

"Yes, he is stable. He will mostly likely have to stay for another night or so."

Hiram didn't know what to say or do. He didn't even know the name of the doctor that was sitting in front of him.

"What now?" Hiram asked.

"Now," Dr. Drummand began. "You just need to take it easy. Your surgery went well, extremely well and you should be able to go home soon."

"Home?"

"Yes," the doctor took a deep breath. "it is a bit complicated, now… now that you don't have any memory, but I think that Leroy can explain things better than I can. Maybe… by seeing his face it can help you remember."

Hiram nodded.

"I'll have a nurse come in soon and get you in a wheel chair so we can take you see your husband."

"What about Rachel?" Hiram called out.

"Well, you can go home with Rachel, probably tomorrow night."

"But… I can't…. I can't remember anything… or anyone. How am I supposed to take care of someone I don't know, let alone myself?"

"Leroy can probably answer that, better than I can. I know this is confusing, but… things will be explained, okay?"

…

Shelby shut off her light at her directors table and quickly gathered her things up. Rehearsal had run past midnight, but it was worth it. Everyone, including Lexi, had the routine down, finally. Nationals were just days away and Shelby needed to balance her time. She had every minute planned out from now until Nationals.

Shelby got in her car and drove to the hospital. She was exhausted, but she needed to check on Rachel. There was no way to reach her because she didn't know if Rachel had a cell phone.

Shelby pulled into the parking lot and walked through the automatic doors and headed to the second floor.

The woman walked right past the nurse at the reception desk and walked toward Leroy's room. Shelby wanted to check on him, and Hiram, as well. Things were probably going to be tense now, but Shelby had to give the men some credit for allowing Shelby to live with him while she had Rachel inside of her.

"YOU!" a voice boomed, making Shelby reel back when she entered Leroy's room.

"Leroy," Dr. Drummand said, trying to calm down the man. "Please, calm down."

"I told you she would be back! She's not supposed to be here!" Leroy yelled.

"I-" Shelby started, trying to figure what to say and what was going on.

"Shelby," Dr. Drummand said as he put his hand up. "Shelby, what are you doing here? Are you here to see Hiram and Leroy or are you here to see Rachel?"

"I'm here-"

"Of course she is here to see Rachel!" Leroy snapped. "Why else would she be here!"

"Now wait a minute!" Shelby interjected. "Yes, I am here to see Rachel and yes," she held up her hand to silence Leroy. "I know that I am breaking the contract, but, believe it or not, I am here to see you and Hiram because I am genuinely concerned about you two."

There was a light knock on the door and all the adults turned their head to see who it was.

In walked a nurse, pushing Hiram in a wheel chair.

"Hiram," Leroy began, but Dr. Drummand held his hand up. He needed to take control before things got out of hand.

"Leroy, before Shelby walked in, I was about to update you on your husband's heath."

"He seems fine! Hiram, how are you! Are you okay? Have you talked to Rachel?"

Hiram nodded.

"Well?"

"Leroy," the doctored tried again. "Hiram… has lost his memory."

Leroy and Shelby's jay dropped open. This was not happening.

"What?" Leroy asked softly?

"Hiram is here because I thought it would be good for him… to see a face… and to also have some things explained to him… concerning Rachel… and Shelby." Dr. Drummand said carefully. "I think that you have a better shot at explaining the situation to him and making some decisions about what to do now." The doctor paused. "I'll leave you two alone."

With that, the doctor and the nurse exited the room.

The three sat in silence. No one looked at each other.

"Hiram," Shelby began, breaking the silence, but Leroy cut in.

"No, Shelby, you don't get to say anything right now." He turned his gaze to Hiram. "Hiram, Shelby is Rachel's birth mother, but we are legally Rachel's parents. Before Rachel was born, Shelby signed a contract, stating that she was to have no contact with Rachel until she turned eighteen."

"Okay," Hiram said, as he tried to follow. He looked at Shelby. The woman did look like Rachel. She was gorgeous.

"I… I personally… want to stick with the contract." His eyes flickered to Shelby. "But… now that… that you have no memory and I'm going to be stuck in this god damn place for a while longer… we need… someone to watch Rachel… someone to take care of us."

Shelby shifted on her feet. She wanted to be the one who helped Rachel. She did. She could do it.

"Our neighbor… Mrs. Seaborne… she adores Rachel," Leroy continued. "I think she could help us out a lot."

Hiram nodded. Who the hell was Mrs. Seaborne? He was frustrated and at loss with words. He didn't know anyone and he didn't know who to trust. For all her knew, the people standing in front of him could be mass murderers.

"I guess," Hiram started. "This is your call. I don't… I don't know who you are talking about… so I guess you know what you are talking about."

…..

Dr. Drummand lightly knocked on the door to Rachel's room.

"Rachel? Sweetie?" Dr. Drummand asked as he pushed the door open. His eyes widen when she saw Rachel on the floor. There was a small pool of blood near the girl's arm.

"Rachel!" Dr. Drummand said in a worried tone as he knelt down next to the girl while putting pressure on the cut with his hand.

"I'm- I'm sorry," Rachel sobbed. "This is not what you think it is."

"Rachel," Dr. Drummand began.

"No, I wasn't trying to cut myself, honest!" She paused. "I just… I needed to see… I needed to know if… if I was just dreaming… I just…" Rachel bit her lip. Her arm felt like it was on fire. "This is actually happening… and I feel like… I just… I don't know what to do."

Rachel sobbed and the doctor gently lifted the girl on the bed so he could examine her wound a little better.

"You didn't cut too deep into your arm, which is good," Dr. Drummand said calmly. "You might be able to get away with a few stitches. Keep putting pressure on it, okay? I'm just going to walk over here and get a suture kit."

Rachel put pressure on her arm with a cloth that the doctor handed her. She watched Dr. Drummand as he pulled a suture kit from a cabinet above a sink. He began to wash his hands.

"This will just be our little secret, okay?"

Dr. Drummand looked over his shoulder. Rachel nodded.

The doctor put on white latex gloves and walked back to Rachel.

"Rachel, I'm going to numb your arm a bit with this needle, okay? You'll only feel a pinch for two seconds."

Rachel flinched as she felt the point of the needle go into her skin. She hated herself for doing this. She felt stupid… of course this wasn't a dream. Dr. Drummand probably thought she was going crazy.

Rachel let her mind wander. She had dreams about meeting her mother. She had multiple things planned out… things she would say and do with Shelby, if and when she met her. Yet, when she finally met Shelby, all those things disappeared.

"Rachel… Rachel," Rachel looked at the doctor. "We're finished."

Rachel looked down at her arm. It didn't look that bad.

Dr. Drummand began to cover her arm with a white bandage.

Great, Rachel thought, people are going to think I tried to kill myself when they see this.

"Try not to get water on this, okay? Just for a day or so." Dr. Drummand instructed. "It'll heal faster if you don't get it wet. These stitches will dissolve in your skin, so you don't have to get them taken out."

"Thank you," Rachel said softy as she pulled her arm close to her chest. She was quiet for a bit. "What's… what's going to happen now? What am I suppose to do?"

Dr. Drummand pulled a chair up next to Rachel.

"I promise, Rachel, that once we get this all figured out, I will let you know. I honestly, don't know, but no one is leaving you."

With that, that the doctor headed to leave and then turned around.

"You must be starving, sweetie, I'll have someone from the kitchen bring something up for you,"

Rachel watched as Dr. Drummand left. She wanted to tell him that she didn't eat meat, but she wasn't really hungry anyways, so it didn't matter.

Rachel leaned back in the bed and turned the T.V. on. The girl scanned through the channels until she came across a familiar movie that always made her feel better.

…..

Shelby stood off to the side with her arms crossed. She wanted this more than anything, but she hardly knew the girl.

"Shelby," Leroy said. "You need to leave, you cannot be here. Don't come back."

Shelby wanted to put up a fight, she wanted to fight for Rachel, but time was tight. She had another early rehearsal and she needed her rest.

"Fine," Shelby said. "I'll leave. I'm glad you two are feeling better."

Shelby left the two men and headed towards Rachel's room. Leroy said she couldn't be in that room, but he never said she couldn't check in on Rachel.

When Shelby left, Hiram turned to Leroy. He opened his mouth to speak, but Leroy beat him to it.

"Rachel doesn't know Shelby is her mother."

"What?" Hiram asked.

"She doesn't know and she will never know," That was that.

"I think that… I think that now would be a really good time to let her know," Hiram said causally.

"What?" Leroy spat.

"Rachel must be terrified right now… I think that… if I was in her shoes, I'd want my mother."

…

Shelby lightly pushed Rachel's door open. She looked at the television and smiled. Funny Girl. A classic.

"Rach," Shelby said lightly.

The girl turned to the woman. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

"Oh, Rachel," Shelby said when she saw the bandage on the tiny girl's arm. "what happened, sweetie?"

The woman instinctively climbed into the bed and pulled Rachel close to her chest.

"I just… I had to… I had to see… had to check," Rachel said. She didn't look at Shelby. She just looked at the television.

"Had to check what, sweetie?" Shelby urged.

"I'm sorry," Rachel sobbed as fresh tears began to poured out of her eyes. "I didn't mean to, I just… so much has happened," Rachel hiccupped, her chest was heaving. "I thought that maybe… that maybe if I hurt myself… just a little… I'd wake up… and… and none of this would have happened."

Rachel lay limp in Shelby's arms.

"Oh, sweetie," Shelby said softly as she wiped some of Rachel's tears away. "sshh, it's okay."

Shelby rocked the girl in her arms as tears began to blur her own vision.

Rachel gave in and buried herself into Shelby's arms. No one else was here for her, except Shelby.

It was as if Shelby read Rachel's mind. Shelby began to sing lightly.

_Sometimes I watch you when you're sleeping  
I can see you're having dreams tonight  
And I know just by the way you're breathing.  
That I'm a vision in your mind._

_Wherever you may go my love,  
Wherever you may be.  
And all that matters in this world  
Is just lying next to me  
So sleep tight sweetheart, you're free_

**A/N: Let me know what you think! I'm kind of nervous about this chapter. A lot happened and more will happen.**

**Summer has started and my game plan for this FF is to try to get a chapter out once a week… maybe Thursday or Friday. I hope I can do this because I don't want to keep you all waiting! Thank you for reading! Sorry for any typos!**


	5. Chapter 5

emy – Hmm… was that Italian? Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Holly Eosslyn – Thank you for reviewing! Yes, poor Rachel. Things have definitely taken a 180 degree turn. Leroy will not get any better and he being injured isn't helping. He likes things to be his way.

keal – Yes, it is horrible that Hiram has lost his memory, since he is the nicer out of the two. He is going to be confused for quite some time, but there will be people to help him remember his past. You're right, we all need our parents, mother and father, they are the ones that pick you up when you fall. They are like super heroes. Thank you for reviewing!

caseyrn12 – Leroy is horrible and very controlling. We will see who will take care of Rachel now. Yes, Lexi is a fighter. She wants to prove to everyone that she deserves to be on the team! Those Vocal Adrenaline practices are very long… do you think someone will find out after all these years? Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

Drea LuRuiz – YES! I am counting down the days until I see her! I cannot wait! Rachel wants Shelby to take care of her more than anything, but some factors might delay this reunion. Thank you for reviewing!

MovieNerd – Leroy is kind of a jerk, isn't he? Hiram isn't done fighting just yet. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Vienna98 – Thank you so much for reviewing! Rachel wants Shelby to have custody, but things have been building that might prevent this from happening.

EllyBelly07 – I don't like Leroy as well, he has a very short temper. He is just very hard on Rachel and pushes her, maybe a little too much, to be the best she can. He has pushed her to have thick skin, for the most part. I hope that that this chapter will clear whatever questions you have about Hiram; however, he is confused right now because he doesn't remember anything or anyone. I am rooting for Shelby, as well. Lexi will play a part in Rachel and Shelby's life, not right now, but soon. Thank you for your review!

ljw – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I try to get chapters written fast because I hate keeping all of you waiting!

Dee – Thank you so much! There will be a ton of Shelby/Rachel moments, especially in this chapter!

**Thank you all so much for reviewing and all the alerts. I really do appreciate it! A lot has been building, some small and some big. I think some of you have predicted a few things that are going to happen and some, I hope, will be a surprise. I was able to get this story out a little earlier because I have a few post-graduation things planned that will keep be busy for a few days. Thanks again and enjoy!**

**Also, if you didn't know, the song that Shelby sang to Rachel at the end of the previous chapter is called 'So Beautiful' which is sung by Idina Menzel. It's a beautiful song and it inspired me to write this story.**

Shelby pulled into the parking lot outside Carmel High School. It was Wednesday. That meant, two more days until Nationals in New York City. Things were crazy right now, but nothing was going to stop her and her team. There was a lot to be done and Shelby needed everyone to be on their toes.

Rachel had not slept well. Shelby guessed that Rachel didn't get more than three or four hours of sleep. The woman hated that she had to leave Rachel, but there was no possible way Shelby could skip rehearsal, not this close to the competition.

As Shelby was leaving the hospital, one of Rachel's friends, Kurt had met her there. Rachel had said something about having to practice for a dance competition she had and, like mother like daughter, Rachel was not going to let her father's accident stop her. The show must go on.

"Places!" Shelby called as she settled in at the director's table. Hopefully, Shelby thought to herself, everyone will be awake and alert and ready to rehearse. There was no time to forget a step or to be off key. Nationals were Friday. That meant, Vocal Adrenaline only had today and part of Thursday to practice until they boarded the buses to head back to New York City.

"Last night's rehearsal was weak. It looked like a scene from gladiators," Shelby called as Vocal Adrenaline got into place. "Now, I believe in each and every one of you. I know you all are tired, but you will thank me later. I know you can all do it!" Shelby leaned back in her chair and watched as the music began.

Shelby hated to admit it, but Vocal Adrenaline's biggest competition was New Directions. They had gotten a whole lot better this season, even though their chorography was boring, their vocals were amazing and their harmonies were breath taking.

…

"Rachel?" Kurt asked under his breath. He and his dad had come to the hospital to pick up Rachel. She had a dance competition and Kurt knew, despite her current situation, she was going to compete. He wondered if it had slipped her mind and if she still had that spark.

Kurt's father had taken Rachel home so she could shower, change into her dance clothes, and grab an overnight bag. The plan was for Rachel to spend the night with the Hummel's. It was the least he could do. Burt Hummel felt horrible and wanted to make sure the girl knew she was not alone and that there were people who wanted and were willing to help her out in any way possible.

Rachel turned her head to look at Kurt.

"I'm fine… I'm just… trying to think and…" Rachel was interrupted by Kurt's dad.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie." Mr. Hummel said as he neared the school. "If you need anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask." What Burt really wanted to say, not only as a friend, but also as a parent, was, _Rachel, I think you should give your body and your mind a break. Your father's would want you to do this._ But, he was sure, Rachel would contest.

Kurt could tell Rachel was uncomfortable and was getting upset. The last thing Rachel wanted was to do was talk about her situation. She surely did not want to start crying, as well. Rachel needed this… this dance competition. She needed something to channel all her emotions.

"Thank you, Mr. Hummel. I really appreciate it." Rachel said.

Burt Hummel pulled into the parking lot outside McKinley High School.

"Do you want me to stay?" Kurt asked.

"You don't have to," Rachel said as she started to get out of the car. "You have done enough and I am so grateful for what you and your father have done."

"No, I want to. I really do. I don't have any homework," Kurt said quickly. He really did want to keep Rachel company. He didn't want to leave her by herself, plus he was anxious to see Rachel dance.

"If you want," Rachel said. "I won't stop you."

"Dad, I'm going to stay with Rachel, okay?"

"Sure thing, bud," Kurt's father replied. "You two be good, okay? I'll pick you up in a few hours. Don't wander off."

"Thanks again," Rachel said.

"No problem, kiddo." Mr. Hummel said as he offered a light smile and drove off.

For a beat, Rachel and Kurt stood outside the high school in silence. They watched as Mr. Hummel pulled out of the parking lot.

"I'm fine. You really didn't have to stay. I wouldn't be alone, really. My dance teacher will be here." Rachel said to the ground. She couldn't look Kurt in the eyes. She was ashamed. She didn't like it when she was helpless.

"Rachel, stop it. I want to be here and I think you want me here. I like helping you," Kurt started. "I am here to support you."

With that, the two walked into the high school.

Rachel's dance teacher, Mrs. Warden, greeted Rachel with a big hug.

"Rachel! It's nice to see you, sweetie!"

Rachel could see it behind her teacher's eyes. They said, _Rachel, what are you doing here? You should take a break. It won't be the end of the world if you decide to scratch out of the competition. No one will hate you. They will understand._

"I'm ready to go," Rachel said with confidence. "I want to do this. And before you are the hundredth person to ask me, I am fine. My dads are going to be okay. It's not great, but we will make it."

Mrs. Warden eyed Kurt. He only nodded. _Don't push Rachel with anymore questions._

"Okay, let's get started!" Mrs. Warden said as she clapped her hands together. "Though, I'm sure we don't have a whole to go through. You know this routine like the back of your hand."

It was true; Rachel got her routine down in no time. She took criticism well and applied it. She even went beyond that and continued to ask how she could make her routine better.

….

Shelby Corcoran stood up at her director's table and clapped her hands. They had it in the bag. It was finally coming together. Their first place performance.

"Congratulations, everyone," Shelby said. "All of you get some rest and I will see you all tomorrow to run through the number one last time. Be here on time, please."

Shelby was in a good mood. She cut practice short, by a lot. They all deserved it. What Shelby wanted to do right now, was check in on Rachel and her father's. She wanted to see what was going to happen and if Rachel was going to stay with her neighbor or if she could bring her home, even if it was just for one night.

The woman suddenly had an idea. An idea would cheer Rachel up.

Shelby quickly left the school, ignoring all the confused looks her students were giving her, Shelby never caught practice short. The woman rushed to the hospital. It was only close to five, Rachel should still be there, right?

….

Shelby skipped the elevator and ran up the steps, two at a time. She had to propose this idea she had. Shelby knew it could be a stretch, especially with Leroy, but she had her arguments prepared if didn't agree.

Shelby decided to stop at Hiram's room first. To her surprise, Leroy was in the room as well, sitting up and looking much better than he did before.

"Shelby," Hiram said as she sat straighter in his bed.

Leroy turned to look. His eyes darkened.

"What are you doing here?" Leroy spat.

"I'm here," Shelby cut in quickly. "Because I have an idea to propose to you two. I know that you, Leroy, in particular," Shelby said as she faced the man. "do not want me near Rachel; however," Shelby went on as she held up her hand to stop either of them from talking. "I think that what I have in mind for Rachel will cheer her up and get her off your hands for a bit." Shelby continued talking. "Not that I don't think you two cannot her, you both have done a fabulous job, but I think that in Rachel's best interested and yours, she would enjoy joining me and Vocal Adrenaline in New York City for Nationals."

Shelby stopped talking and eyed the men carefully, trying to read their faces. Please say yes, please, Shelby said to herself.

…

"Rachel, that was wonderful!" Mrs. Warden said as Rachel finish running through her routine.

"Tell me the truth," Rachel said as she tried to catch her breath. "You're not just saying that… right?"

"Of course not, Rachel. If I saw something that needed improvement, I would let you know. But, you tell me, does it feel right? Are there good transitions? Does this routine showcase your abilities? Is it challenging enough?" Mrs. Warden asked.

"That was beautiful," Kurt offered.

"Yes, I think it is challenging, I just… I don't feel it, yet. It doesn't feel right. I feel like something is missing." Rachel said.

"Well, I trust you, Rachel. Make the adjustments you need so it does feel right. I want you to feel confident when you walk on that stage. I want you to be proud of this." Mrs. Warden said.

Rachel was a shining star, Kurt thought to himself. She had so much talent and a big future ahead of her. He could barely keep up. It made him dizzy watching Rachel. He wondered if dancer's ever got dizzy or if just became second nature.

Rachel clutched her gold star necklace that hung around her neck. Even though it was a gift from her father's, she felt like Shelby was with her the entire time.

"I think that… I should run through the number again," Rachel said as she headed towards the music.

Kurt quickly looked towards Mrs. Warden. Rachel had been dancing for almost two and a half hours; surely, her body must be exhausted. Kurt knew that dancers practiced for longer, but Rachel was tired and he could tell. He didn't want her to push herself too much to the point where she got hurt.

"Rachel, you should take a break." Kurt started as he stepped forward.

"No, I'm fine. I need to perfect this. I'm not satisfied with this routine yet." Rachel faced her dance teacher. "Not that chorography is bad, it's perfect… I just, I need to work on it some more."

"Of course, sweetie." Mrs. Warden said. "I need to step out for a bit, but I will be right back."

After Mrs. Warden left, Kurt spoke up.

"Rachel,"

"Don't." Rachel said as she tried to control her emotions. "Don't give me a speech about how everything is going to be okay… tell me something I don't know. Things are not going to be okay. My dad lost his memory and daddy… he… I don't know. He has changed and I don't like it and I don't know what I did."

Kurt bit his lip.

"Mr. Bradley has completely given up on teaching us." Kurt started. "We have like… less than a month left of school and he is just plain lazy."

Rachel stared at herself in the mirror in the dance studio.

"He doesn't know how to teach, at all. I don't know how he got a job teaching. And then he gives us these ridiculous tests and expects us to ace it when, in reality, it's stuff he has never taught us."

A beat.

"When are you going to come back to school?" Kurt asked.

"I was thinking… tomorrow." Rachel said calmly.

Kurt knew she was avoiding talking about her father's. She was doing everything she could to try to move forward and not let this stop her.

The young boy walked over to Rachel and pulled her into a hug. He had meant to do this earlier.

"You're my best friend, Rachel. I am here for you and so is Quinn,"

"Thank you," Rachel said as tears began to fill her eyes. "Thank you so much. It means so much to me."

Rachel pulled away from the hug and started her routine again. She didn't want to cry anymore. She had to focus because she was going to get first place. She needed her Leroy to be proud of her.

…

"No." Leroy said with confidence.

"Then what is your plan?" Shelby challenged. "Are you just going to keep Rachel here? What about school? Will you be driving her there and picking her up?"

"Stop that right now, Shelby." Leroy said coldly. He was not going to have this conversation right now, not with this woman.

"I don't have a plan, but believe it or not, I'm not perfect. If you haven't noticed, I am in the hospital and Hiram has no memory. Clearly, we have been a bit occupied so don't go shooting us down and saying how horrible we are. We love Rachel."

"When did I ever say that you weren't great parents?" Shelby spat back.

Leroy was getting on her nerves. At first, she tried convinced herself that Leroy was acting this way because he was in an accident, but now, Shelby wasn't so sure.

A knock interrupted everyone's thoughts. It was Dr. Drummand.

"Good afternoon," He stopped in his tracks when he saw Shelby. "Shelby."

"Dr. Drummand, I was wondering as to when Leroy and Hiram were allowed to go home." Shelby said.

"Well," Dr. Drummand as he looked through the men's charts. "Like I said the other day, Hiram can most likely go home today. I would like him to come in, in about two weeks for a follow up, but the best thing for him right now is to bring him home. It might help him get his memory back."

"Please," Hiram started. "Don't talk like I'm not in the room."

"I'm sorry, Hiram." Dr. Drummand said. "Do you have any questions?"

"What is going to happen to Rachel? I mean, I know that Leroy isn't too keen on having Shelby watch her, but I don't know if I can take care of her… if we can. Shelby made some valid points earlier. I don't know about Leroy, but I don't really want to drive… at least not for a bit."

Dr. Drummand pulled a chair up.

"That is ultimately up to you two; however, I think that it would be best to talk to Rachel and see what she thinks about this. Have either of you really gotten a chance to talk to Rachel?"

The men shook their heads. They turned to look at Shelby.

"I haven't talk to her, but I've just… been there for her and held her."

Shelby was not afraid to say that. Leroy did not scare her, one bit. The men needed to know that she could take care of Rachel and that she was capable of doing so. She coached over a dozen students almost every day. She understood kids.

"Well, as for the driving, I can have someone help you two with that. It is understandable if you don't want to be behind the wheel."

"I don't mind driving," Leroy cut in.

"Where is Rachel right now?" Dr. Drummand asked.

"Rachel is with her friend." Hiram said.

"What?" Leroy asked quickly. He was unaware of this.

"Yes, his name is… Kurt, yes, that's it and his father came. They were so sweet. Rachel apparently has a dance competition coming up and she needed to rehearse." Leroy said.

Leroy bit the inside of his mouth. It angered him that Rachel left and didn't tell him, but he supposed it was nice that she was getting out. He really did like Kurt. He was adorable and always wore the cutest things. Rachel didn't have many friends, but the few that were Rachel's friends were great and so supportive.

Leroy began to weigh his options. If Rachel was out of the house, he could focus on trying to get Hiram's memory back and recovering himself. It wasn't that he didn't want Rachel there; she just tended to get in the way.

Hiram interrupted his thoughts.

"I would really like to see her dance."

"And that will happen." Dr. Drummand said. "Let me get the discharge papers and you'll be out of here in a few hours."

"What about Leroy?" Hiram asked.

"You both are recovering from a serious car accident. You both are extremely lucky. In most cases, you both would not be alive. It is extremely rare to see such a quick recovery. Although you both will have to go to PT, it could be a lot worse."

Worse than looking my memory? Hiram thought to himself.

"I feel like absolute crap though." Leroy cut in.

"That is to be expected," Dr. Drummand went on. "And you will probably feel horrible for a few weeks. I would like you, Leroy, to stay until at least tomorrow morning. I can send you and your husband home with pain medication. It should also help you sleep at night, comfortably."

"Thank you," Hiram said.

"I'll go get those papers and be back," Dr. Drummand said.

Both the men turned to Shelby.

"I know this is your decision, but I am going to say this again." Shelby started. "You both have a long road towards recovery. I care about Rachel. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I can help out. I think you need it."

"Shelby," Hiram began. "I for one would love your help. You seem like a very sweet woman and I feel like I can trust you."

"Hiram." Leroy said under his breath. "I appreciate your help, Shelby, but things are under control. Our neighbor will watch Rachel. You heard the doctor, Hiram can go home today and I will be going home tomorrow morning. You see? We are already on the road to recovery. Yes, the pain is there, but it is nothing we can't handle. We have each other."

"Then who has Rachel?" Shelby said.

"It's not like we are going to leave Rachel to fend for herself!" Leroy spat. "She is a big girl and can do the basic things for herself."

"I think you are making a bad decision," Shelby said confidently.

"Oh, really?" Leroy spat.

"Leroy," Hiram said. "I think that it would be best for Rachel to go home with Shelby, just for tonight. I don't want to go home without you and I certainly do not want Rachel to spend another night in the hospital. You and I both know it, it is impossible to get any sleep around here. Besides, she has expressed to me that she would like to go back to school tomorrow."

This was not happening, Leroy thought to himself. Why was his own husband not on his side? It was two against one. The more Leroy fought, the more he felt as though he was going to lose Hiram.

"Fine," Leroy just. "but, just for tonight and maybe tomorrow."

Shelby smiled as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Thank you, Leroy. Feel better. I'll have Rachel call before she leaves for school tomorrow."

…

Rachel panted as she finished running through her number for the twelfth time that night. It was close to nine now.

"Rachel, I think you got this in the bag," Kurt said as he leaned is head against the mirror in the dance studio. He was exhausted and he could barely keep his eyes open. He knew Rachel's dance routine by now and could probably perform it for her. Her song was also forever engraved in his mind.

"You can go home, Kurt. I'm going to keep working." Rachel said as she took a sip of water.

"Rachel, you are fine. Mrs. Warden isn't here. It's time to rest." Kurt stood straighter and looked at the time. "Besides, my dad should be here soon."

Rachel was silent for a beat. She was tired. She missed her bed and the smells and sounds of her house, but she didn't want to leave.

Just then, there was a light knock on the studio door. It was Shelby Corcoran. How did she know they were there?

The two younger kids turned to face the woman. Rachel could not take her eyes off of her gold star necklace that hung around the woman's neck. The girl wondered if Shelby ever took it off because Rachel never took hers off.

"Hey," The woman said softly.

"Hello. It's nice to meet you. I'm-" Kurt began.

"I remember you. You are Kurt." Shelby said as she took the young boy's hand who was looking at her in awe.

"Rachel," Shelby said as she walked towards the tiny brunette.

Shelby could see exhaustion in Rachel's eyes. The girl was tired, but she was fighting it.

"I went to the hospital and talked to your father's. Hiram can go home tonight and Leroy is allowed to go home tomorrow morning." Shelby stopped. She wasn't getting a reaction from the girl. "Hiram decided to stay with Leroy for the night, so they can go home together tomorrow."

Rachel looked up to meet the woman's eyes. Did this mean….

"You are going to come home with me tonight, if you're up for that." Shelby said gently. She wanted nothing more than to engulf the tiny girl into her arms. Rachel looked so small and vulnerable.

"I would like that," Rachel said as a smile snaked across her face.

Rachel could not believe it. So many thoughts were running through her mind. How did her father's agree to do this? Did Shelby fight for her? What was going to happen now? How many nights would she stay with Shelby?

Shelby pulled the tiny brunette into her arms and squeezed her eyes shut. She was one step closer to proving to the Berry's that she deserved to have Rachel in her life.

"My dad's here," Kurt said, pulling the two from their moment. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rach."

"Bye, Kurt." Rachel said as she made her way over to the boy and gave him a light hug. "Thanks you… thank you so much and please thank your dad for me. I'm sorry for the change of plans." Rachel said as she watched Kurt leave.

"Don't worry about it, Rach," Kurt said. "I'm very happy that you are allowed to go home with your mo- Shelby."

"It was nice meeting you again, Kurt." Shelby called out.

"Good bye Miss. Corcoran." Kurt said

After Kurt left the two stood in silence.

"So, you have a dance competition coming up?" Shelby asked.

Rachel nodded.

"Can I see it?"

Rachel met the woman's eyes and smiled. Yes, I would love to have my mother see my dance routine.

"Of course," Rachel said as she walked towards the music to start it.

Shelby stood off to the side as Rachel went through her routine. It was a contemporary lyrical piece. Rachel moved through the room with grace and ease. There was no doubt in her body language. She was confident. Some of Shelby's students couldn't do half the things Rachel could do.

At the end Shelby began clapping her hands. She wiped some tears away.

"That was absolutely beautiful, Rachel."

"Thank you," Rachel replied. She was almost embarrassed, but hearing that from her mother meant the world.

"You have talent, you really do." Shelby praised Rachel.

"I love dancing," Rachel began. "it makes my father's so happy and it makes me happy as well, but,"

There was a but? Shelby wondered.

"I'd much rather sing." Rachel admitted.

Rachel had no idea why she was saying this to Shelby. She shouldn't have a problem opening up to the woman, but Rachel felt as though she was betraying her father's. They were paying for her lessons. She knew she should have spoken up early and said something from the very start. All Rachel wanted to do was sing in front of a huge audience with her father's in the front row. She also wanted to sing with her mother. Rachel certainly did not want to let her father's down. She didn't even know if they would approve of her singing over dancing.

All Rachel's life she had danced. Her father's said she was good at it, which only encouraged Rachel to continue to dance more; however, the first time Rachel heard New Directions during one of her dance classes, she knew she had found her calling. Then, she discovered Vocal Adrenaline and wanted nothing more than to be one of them.

"You can do both," Shelby said as she picked Rachel's dance bag up.

"I don't think that's possible," Rachel said. "My father's have invested too much in dance for me to just give it up."

"Do you want to know what I think?" Shelby asked as she led Rachel outside the dance studio. "I think that it's not a waste of money, at all, if you stopped dancing today. I think… I know that that you need a little taste of everything to really experience life. You've got dance in the bag and if singing is what you want to do next, then don't let anyone stop you. You won't truly be happy doing something else, if you mind keeps on going back to singing."

Rachel was trying to take in everything Shelby was saying. She made sense, but Rachel did not want to disappoint her father's, but she didn't want to be miserable dancing. She just didn't have that passion anymore. The girl made a decision that after her dance competition, she was going to tell her father's that she wanted to sing.

Shelby continued.

"And if your father's won't pay for singing lessons, then I will coach you myself."

Rachel's eyes widened.

"You would do that? For me?"

"Absolutely, Rachel." Shelby said with a smile.

…

Back at the hospital, Hiram was trying his best to remember his husband and his daughter. It was so incredibly frustrating. He felt as though everything was on the tip of his tongue, but just out of his grasp.

Hiram and Leroy had not said much since Leroy allowed Rachel to spend the night with Shelby. Leroy was sleeping right now and every hour or so a nurse came in to check his vitals. It was impossible to sleep.

Leroy continued to flip through pictures that Burt Hummel had brought from Rachel's house. There were so many pictures of Rachel. She was extremely photogenic.

There was a picture of Leroy and Hiram with their hands on Shelby's extremely pregnant belly. A picture of Shelby at the hospital, looking up at the small child on the monitor. It looked as though they were about to find out the gender of their baby. A picture of Rachel just after she was born. There were a handful of pictures of Hiram and Leroy holding baby Rachel, but no pictures of Shelby holding Rachel. In fact, she didn't appear in any other pictures after that. There were also pictures of Rachel on her first day of Kindergarten and a picture of Rachel taking a face plant into her first birthday cake. One of Hiram's favorite pictures was of four year old Rachel fast asleep on Hiram's stomach.

After flipping through all the pictures, nothing clicked. Hiram leaned back in his chair. There was something about Shelby he felt like he knew, like they were meant to be together.. or maybe they were together once. It was a crazy thought, really.

…..

Shelby pulled into her driveway. It was almost eleven now. She looked in the rearview mirror and smiled to herself as she watched Rachel fight sleep.

"We're here, sweetie."

Rachel instantly sat up and looked out the window. The outside of Shelby's house was beautiful. Rachel wondered if anyone else lived with Shelby.

The inside of Shelby's house was very homey. To the left was a small family room. To the right was the kitchen. There was a pair of stairs down the hall that led up to the next floor.

Rachel followed behind Shelby as she gave her a tour of the house. Rachel loved it here. She just loved the feel and the smell. There were pictures of Shelby and Vocal Adrenaline and picture of Shelby's family. The girl didn't want to miss a second of this.

"So your room is here and the bathroom is down the hall and to the left. My room is right across from yours."

"You have a beautiful home." Rachel said as she looked around the guest bedroom.

"Thank you, but I have to give all the credit to my mother. She was the one who helped me design this place."

Rachel smiled and then, a small picture caught her eye. It had a white frame with gold stars on it. It stood by itself on a bedside table.

It was a picture of Shelby with both her hands on her exposed pregnant stomach and she was singing to it... to Rachel. It was clear she was unaware of the picture being taken.

Tears began to fill Rachel's eyes. When she turned around, Shelby was staring at her with tears in her eyes.

"Your father's gave me that picture the day you were born. I was singing one of my favorite songs from West Side Story to you."

"Somewhere," Rachel whispered. She remember hearing Shelby sing that to her the night her father's got in an accident.

Shelby walked over and pulled her daughter into her arms. The two cried lightly. They cried because they were reunited. They cried because of Rachel's unknown future now. Shelby dreamed of this moment, meeting her daughter. She didn't even get to hold her when Rachel was born. Rachel was whisked away and Shelby was left, by herself.

"I love you so much," Shelby whispered into Rachel ear.

"I love you too." Rachel sobbed back. She clung to her mother. She didn't want to let her go because she knew she would eventually have to face her father's, Leroy in particular.

It finally made sense, to Rachel, why Leroy was so against Rachel following Vocal Adrenaline around when they were in New York City. He was selfish, that's what he was. He didn't want Rachel to find out about Shelby. It made Rachel so angry. She didn't understand and he hated that he wanted her to wait until she was eighteen. The way he handled everything recently made Rachel want to just cry and be angry all over again. Shelby Corcoran was her mother and they knew. They knew all along.

Shelby planted a kiss on Rachel's forehead.

"I'm going to fight for you. Leroy is a hard man to crack, but that isn't going to stop me. Nothing is going to stop me. I love you, Rachel. I will never stop loving you. I thought about you every night and all I wanted to do was to find you."

"I don't understand why he is acting like this," Rachel said as fresh tears fell from her eyes. "It hurts because she knew all along... both my dads knew. I admire you so much. You are such a talented singer and Vocal Adrenaline… they are amazing and you…" Rachel was trying to find the right words to say. "It's just… you are amazing and I want to be you."

Hearing that from her daughter warmed Shelby's heart. People had told her she was talent and Shelby accepted each compliment with grace, but hearing it from her daughter meant more.

"You know, Rachel. I saw you in New York City."

"You did?" Rachel asked. She remembered that morning, clear as day.

"Of course." Shelby said. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you that morning. I thought I was dreaming, but I wasn't. When I saw you, I couldn't believe how big you had gotten."

"How did you know it was me?" Rachel asked.

"I would know you anywhere, Rachel." Shelby said. "It's like… a sixth sense, I guess. It was like I could feel your presence. The minute I saw you, I knew it was you. I didn't doubt myself one bit."

Shelby wiped a few tears away from her eyes and Rachel's. She then glanced at the clock. Neither of the them wanted this to end, but Rachel had insisted that she wanted to go to school, it was late and both of them had to get up early.

Rachel involuntary yawned.

"Why don't you get ready for bed, sweetie, and I'll come and tuck you in goodnight."

Rachel nodded as she went to get her clothes for the night on. For a beat, Shelby stood in the doorway and watched her daughter for a moment. Shelby knew it was going to be a blood bath with Leroy, but she would do anything to get her daughter back.

….

When Shelby returned to Rachel's room, the girl was out like a light, curled to her side and the sheets, bunched at the foot of the bed. Shelby lightly smiled and pulled the covers up around the tiny girl. The woman turned the bedside lamp off and just as she was about a leave, she felt a small hand grab hers.

"Don't go," Rachel mumbled with her eyes still closed.

"Alright, sweetheart," Shelby said. She walked to the other side of the bed and lay down next to the sleeping girl.

Rachel turned on her side, facing Shelby, and latched onto Shelby's arm.

"Goodnight, mom." Rachel said groggily.

Shelby felt tears prick her eyes. That was a word she never thought she would hear. She didn't even expect to hear that even after their reunion. Shelby thought it was something they would have to work up to. Whether Rachel said that because she was half asleep or because she was actually conscious she was saying that, it didn't matter.

Shelby pulled the girl close and kissed Rachel on the temple.

"Good night, sweetheart. I love you."

….

Jesse St. James knocked on Dr. McNeal's door. He was the principle of Carmel High School.

He was beyond pissed at Shelby Corcoran. There were no words to describe his emotions. He could not believe that she pulled him from the team; after all he did for them and for her. It was unfair and completely bogus, Jesse thought. He didn't understand why she didn't just let him compete on Friday and then give him his punishment after, not that he thought he deserved one from her especially. His parents were only slightly mad; they were the ones who should be punishing him. Their punishment was nothing like hers. It didn't make sense and Jesse wasn't going to just sit around. He had to do something or he would go crazy.

Vocal Adrenaline was going to lose. Lexi was not a strong singer and without Jesse, Vocal Adrenaline was nothing.

"Come in," he heard a voice say through the door.

Jesse walked in. He needed to do this. It was time everyone knew the truth.

"What can I do for you, Jesse?" the principle said as he rested his head on his hand.

Jesse St. James was a good kid. He never got in trouble. Dr. McNeal had heard about the accident that happed a few days ago and it angered him that one of his best students would make a mistake like that. It wasn't on Jesse; it was on the school now. Carmel had a good reputation and Dr. McNeal needed it to stay that way.

"I am here to talk to you about Shelby Corcoran."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Lots of things are going to start happening. Let me know what you think and thanks again for all the support! I appreciate it! Sorry for any typos!**


	6. Chapter 6

sillystarshine – Jesse is up to no good. I wonder if he has ever heard of the phrase, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." Thank you so much for reviewing.

tlgonzal – Shelby will most definitely try to get custody of Rachel; however, Leroy is pretty set in his ways. Thank you so much for reviewing and reading! I really appreciate it.

caseyrn12 – Jesse is an ass and he definitely does not think twice before he acts. You're right; he is going to try to bring Shelby and Vocal Adrenaline down. Yes, thank goodness for Hiram; however, things will be happening and things will be misinterpreted. You are on the right track with Hiram and Shelby. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Hold on to your seatbelt and please keep all hands and feet inside the vehicle.

CallMeKiera – Leroy is very difficult to compromise with right now. Hiram is definitely going to fight in favor of Shelby and Rachel. Thank you so much for reviewing!

broadwaybound2016 – I will add you to the list of people who would like to tell Jesse to go you-know-what himself. I will try to get this out soon! Thanks for reviewing!

EllyBelly07 – Thank you so much for reviewing! I enjoy writing Shelby/Rachel moments! Something did happen between Hiram and Shelby while she was pregnant with Rachel and that might be Hiram's most recent memory. You will be allowed to punch Jesse after this chapter… or better yet, before Nationals. The principal's office is not his last stop.

eMy – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Don't be sorry, your English is great! Until next time, ciao!

Dee – Leroy is mad at Shelby because he ultimately wants nothing to do with her… more importantly, he doesn't want Shelby seeing Rachel; however, it has nothing to do with Rachel. Things that happened in the past will come out in this chapter, which will explain why he acts the way he does. I love the Shelby/Rachel moments as well and there will be more! Thank you so much for reviewing!

Janie – Thank you so much for reviewing and all your kind words. You are spot on with your speculations! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Gleeks09 – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Rachel will definitely not pass up the opportunity to go to Nationals with Vocal Adrenaline; however, Rachel does have another commitment that day. Jesse is horrible and wants nothing more than to bring Vocal Adrenaline and Shelby down. Thank you, again, for reading this. I appreciate it, I really do.

**Wow! Thank you! Thank you all for all your support, reviews, and alerts! I'm amazed that people are enjoying this story!** **I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**There will be a few flashbacks to when Shelby was pregnant with Rachel. I hope this will start to clear up any questions you might have.**

**Also, I am getting this out earlier than Tuesday/Friday because I will be occupied for the next few days. I'll be in NYC on Wednesday, which I am super excited about (:**

"Shelby Corcoran?" Dr. McNeal asked as he raised his eye brow.

Jesse St. James had come to him a few times before to complain about teachers at Carmel. Teachers that Jesse believed should not be teaching or should not be around students, for that matter. Jesse was at the top of his class, so when Jesse came to him, Dr. McNeal did not hesitate to investigate. Some would call Jesse St. James a major suck up and that is exactly what he was.

Dr. McNeal constantly got complaints from parents and students about faculty members; however, Shelby Corcoran was the last person he thought he would hear Jesse St. James bring up. Perhaps he just wanted to praise the woman. Shelby brought in a lot of sponsors to the school through her success with Vocal Adrenaline. Dr. McNeal would never fire her and if she wanted to retire, he would do everything in his power to keep her at Carmel.

Jesse took a seat.

"Yes." Jesse took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Shelby Corcoran is not the woman you think she is." Jesse held his hand up the silence Dr. McNeal. "I know what you are thinking. What do I mean? Why her? Well, I'll tell you. Shelby Corcoran is a cheater, a liar, and above all, her rehearsals are outrageous and are most definitely illegal."

Dr. McNeal leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. This did not sound like Shelby Corcoran at all. In fact, it sounded outrageous. Jesse must be talking about a different Shelby because the Shelby he knew cared about her students and would never do anything to jeopardize her student's health. Dr. McNeal had occasional watched rehearsals without giving the woman a heads up and from what he saw, Shelby knew what she was doing and her students enjoyed the rehearsal time.

"I don't understand, Jesse. I need more." Dr. McNeal leaned forward. "Do you know for a fact that Shelby has lied? How many times has she lied? What about? Do other students have the same complaints?"

Jesse sat up straighter.

"To address your first question… um… Shelby hasn't lied to my… our faces, per say, but she just… she says one thing and then she does another." Shit, Jesse thought to himself. Pull yourself together. You need to get your facts straight. You cannot fool around, not now. Jesse could tell by Dr. McNeal's expression that he wasn't having it.

"You know what?" Jesse started as he found his show face again. "It is rude and inconsiderate for me to call Shelby Corcoran out on all those things. Who am I to say she is a liar?" Dr. McNeal nodded. "But, I can say one thing. Her rehearsals are extremely long and grueling. I am saying this because I have lived them… barely. Now, I realize that she is just trying to push us to be the best we can be, but I think there is a point where you need to draw the line. Sometimes our rehearsals are well over thirteen hours with little breaks. Again, I realize that as our big competition near, she would increase rehearsal time, but this is all the time, not just before a competition. Also, I am aware that some people rehearse and practice well over that time, but from a high school student's point of view, it is a hell of a lot to ask."

Dr. McNeal was silent for a beat. This still didn't make sense.

"Why are you bringing this up now? Jesse, you have been on Vocal Adrenaline since you were a freshman. Why didn't you or anybody else come to me when all of this first started? What sparked this?"

Jesse knew what sparked it, but he wasn't going to go there. If he told Dr. McNeal his reasoning for his actions, Dr. McNeal would surely laugh in his face… actually he would most likely take Shelby's side. That was not going to happen.

"Because," Jesse began. "It was never a problem… until now. I think Shelby is going… she is… I think she is losing it. I think it's safe for me to speak on everyone's behalf. Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals are long and grueling. It's hard on us physically and mentally. Plus, this makes it hard to meet other commitments."

All of this surprised Dr. McNeal. Not once had someone come to him complaining about Shelby Corcoran and her rehearsals. Not a student, nor a parent. He knew she tended to run her rehearsals late, but whatever she was doing, worked. She was preparing her student's for life.

"I don't know, Jesse," said Dr. McNeal. "I would like to speak to other people from the team and Shelby as well, if this is something that truly bother's you, but like I said before, why now? From what I heard, you and Shelby have a very good relationship; surely, if this bothered you, you would go to her first."

Jesse didn't move.

"I will go ahead and speak to some people, but I think… no I will wait for a bit, at least until after Nationals, which I understand is tomorrow. You all must be busy and from what I'm getting from you, you also all need some rest… why bother all of you now when what you really need is rest… yes?"

Jesse bit his lip. No, you need to talk to her now. Jesse just nodded. He could see this was going nowhere. He would just have to take care of this on his own.

"Good luck to all of you. I expect to hear great things." Jesse still, did not move. "You can see yourself out."

…..

It was Thursday. Shelby Corcoran was staring at her ceiling, wide eyed. Thursday. Tomorrow was Friday… Nationals. The woman had butterflies in her stomach. She was probably more nervous about the competition, than her students, expect for Lexi. The woman smiled to herself. Lexi was wonderful and was going to bring home a trophy for Vocal Adrenaline.

Shelby sat up and ran her finger through her hair. It was almost seven in the morning. Around one, she had untangled herself from Rachel's grasp and went back to her room. It felt weird, really. Her daughter was down the hall. There were so many things that needed to be said and so many questions that needed to be answered, but now wasn't the best time. Was there ever going to be a good time? The Berry's still did not give her a solid answer as to whether or not Rachel could go to New York City and she needed to know today. The woman decided to stop by the Berry's house before rehearsal, rather than ask Rachel at that moment. It was the responsible thing to do. She knew Hiram would jump on the opportunity, but it was Leroy who was going to be tough to crack. And Rachel. She would definitely say yes, right?

The woman was unsure if Rachel was an early riser or what she wanted for breakfast, but Shelby knew she would have to get the girl up soon to get ready for school.

Shelby tossed her sheets to the side and walked to the bathroom, stopping to hear if she could hear movement across the hall. Nothing. With that Shelby slipped into the shower to try to wash away all her fears about the competition.

…..

When Shelby finally made it downstairs, she was surprised to see Rachel already dressed and by the looks of it, ready to go.

"Hello!" Rachel said brightly.

Shelby took a step back. Why was Rachel using her outdoor voices inside? How could one person have so much energy at this time?

"Don't worry, I've already eaten." Rachel said a mile a minute as she swung her backpack over her shoulder. "And I've had coffee. I made another pot for you," Rachel continued as she pointed towards the coffeemaker. Shelby nodded and walked straight to the coffeemaker. It smelled wonderful. Coffee was Shelby's holy grail.

Shelby cut in, in hopes to trying to silence the young girl.

"How long… what time did you get up?" the woman asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Oh… like… fourish," Rachel said nonchalantly. "But I wake up at this time every day. I don't like sleeping the day away when there are so many things that could be done."

"Very well," Shelby said as she looked at the time. It was getting late. "Just give me like five minutes and we can be on our way, okay?"

…

Back at the hospital, Hiram and Leroy were checking out. Both were extremely relieved to be going home. The hospital was not a pleasant place to be. As much as the doctors and nurses tried to make it comfortable, it didn't work. The smells were off and the sounds didn't allow anyone to sleep.

"I will have a nurse stop by your house for the next week to check on you two, okay?" Dr. Drummand said as he signed their discharge papers. "Please come back in about two weeks for a follow up." The doctor clicked his pen.

"Thank you, again." Hiram said as he shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you."

Despite the fact that Hiram had no memory, he wasn't going to let that crush his spirit. He had no doubt that he would be able to regain his memory in no time with, of course, Leroy and Rachel's help.

"Don't mention it," Dr. Drummand said with a smile as he put a comforting hand on Hiram's shoulder. "Take care, both of you. And give Rachel a big hug and a kiss for me. That girl is a trooper, you both should be proud."

"We are," Leroy said. "Thank you,"

…

"Bye! Thanks for the ride," Rachel said to Shelby as she jumped out of the car.

"Bye sweetie! Make good decisions!" Shelby called out, but she didn't think Rachel could hear her.

Rachel practically ran inside the school. She was eager to see her friends. She needed to see familiar faces and get away from hospital smells and all those pity looks.

"Rachel!" Rachel spun around at the sound of her name. It was Kurt.

"Kurt!" Rachel called out as she ran towards the boy, making her way through the incoming crowd of students. "I am so glad to see you!"

Kurt hugged the tiny girl. He wondered why she was back in school so soon, but he suspected it was just Rachel being Rachel... she needed a distraction and, of course, she didn't want to fall behind in her studies.

The boy swung his arm over Rachel's shoulder.

"So, are you ready for the big day tomorrow?"

Rachel nodded.

"Yes!" the girl said excitedly. "My father's are probably on their way home right now, so I bet they both can make it! I hope they haven't forgotten! I mean… maybe Hiram, but I told him about it… to you know, remind him and he sounded very excited!"

"And… you can't about forget the other two very important people who will be there," Kurt hinted.

Rachel stopped in her tracks. Huh?

"Quinn and I, silly! Kurt said as he pushed Rachel playfully.

"Hey, watch it!" a new voice said.

Rachel felt herself being shoved off to the side into the lockers. She sighed. Nothing has changed.

"Hey… Rach," Kurt said to Rachel. "Let's go to class, okay?"

Rachel nodded. She didn't mention this to Kurt, but she also hoped that Shelby could make it to her competition too. It would mean the world to her.

What never crossed Rachel's mind was that Vocal Adrenaline would be New York City for Nationals on Friday. It should have crossed Rachel's mind, but it didn't… not yet. The girl was too distracted by what happened to her father's and then meeting her mother. It was unlike Rachel to forget this fact.

…

Jesse slammed his fist against the steering wheel. He needed to punch something… or someone. He needed to come up with a backup plan… a plan B.

"Damn it!" he screeched. He didn't want Dr. McNeal to wait; he needed him to do something now… not later, now! There was no time to wait! Someone had to stop Vocal Adrenaline from going to New York and fast. He needed to see… to prove to Shelby that Vocal Adrenaline could not be successful without him… that they were nothing without him. He was so made at Shelby… he would bring her down in the process if he had to… end the woman's career.

He knew Shelby and her schedule. It was Thursday, which meant she would hold a quick rehearsal and then everyone would board the buses to New York a few hours after. Jesse quickly looked at his watch. It was almost two... rehearsal was starting now. The boy slide out of his car and headed towards the school.

…

"Rachel!" Rachel turned around and saw Quinn calling her name.

School had just gotten out and Rachel was getting ready to go home. He had been anxious to see her father's all day, but coming to school today was good and she didn't get slushied, which Rachel was very thankful about.

"Hey, Quinn," Rachel said as she closed her locker.

Quinn quickly **looked** around… the hallway was empty. Good.

"Hey," Quinn leaned forward and gave the tiny brunette hug. "How have you been? How are your father's?"

Quinn had not talked to or seen Rachel since her father's accident. She wanted to talk to the girl, but she wasn't sure if Rachel would be willing to talk. The blonde was able to get some updates from Kurt.

"I would be lying if I told you they… we were all fine," the blonde nodded as Rachel continued. "But we are getting by. It's a lot… and it's going to be an adjustment, but it's nothing we Berry's can't handle." Rachel said as she tried to lighten the mood.

"Well, I am glad they are home," Quinn said. "And, I am looking forward to seeing the dance!"

The blonde looked around again.

"You should get going…" Rachel said.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"Wouldn't want to get caught talking to me, right?" This didn't really bother Rachel anymore. She understood.

"Rach-"

"No, Quinn, really, don't worry about it? Okay? I'll see you tomorrow!"

With that, Rachel turned around and walked away. She wasn't upset or mad… all she wanted to do was to get home and see her father's.

…

"Dad!" Rachel threw her backpack on the couch. "Daddy?"

"Up here!" she heard Leroy called out.

Rachel climbed the stairs, two at a time and burst through her father's door.

"Hey, Rach." Hiram said with a smile. He was sitting off the side, looking a bit uncomfortable. He also looked pale, to Rachel, but he was sitting up and nursing a bowl of something that smelled like a dead animal… probably chicken soup.

"Hello, Rachel." Leroy said. "How was school?"

"It was fine. I was just happy to see people and stuff. I don't have too much make up work."

"That's good," Leroy said.

Leroy was feeling better. He was still angry that Shelby somehow found her way back into the Berry's family, but being home made him feel more relaxed and more in control. What he hadn't told Rachel and Hiram was that Shelby had contacted him even before the accident happened. He had no idea why the woman thought she had the right to do that.

_The phone was ringing. No one picked up. It continued to ring._

"_That's okay… don't all rush at once to pick the phone up. I'll get it," Leroy called as he reached for the phone. He picked up the receiver._

"_Hello?" Silence. "Hello?"_

"_Leroy," Leroy groaned in frustration. He knew that voice. Who else had a voice like that?. _

"_Shelby, what are you doing?" Leroy said through his teeth. "You can't see her,"_

"_I know," Shelby said quickly. "I just…"_

"_What? Say it!" Leroy said under his breath. He wanted to find out what was up with this woman and get off the phone before Rachel came looking for him, wondering who was on the phone. "You know what, no; we are not going to do this now! We are fine the way we are!"_

"_Dad," Shelby heard a voice say in the background. Was it Rachel? "Who's on the phone?"_

"_It's just one of those recorded messages no one listens to," Shelby heard Leroy say to the girl. Ouch._

_Follow by that, Shelby heard a click and that was that. She was cut off from hearing who that voice was. She was cut off from the Berry's. It sounded like Rachel. It must have been Rachel._

_Shelby stood there, in shock. She didn't know why she was calling. She surely didn't think she deserved to be treated the way she was just treated. She… she hoped that Rachel would pick up so she could hear her baby girl on the other line. It was a long shot, but Shelby just needed to know. Stupid contract._

Leroy shook his head; so many things were pushing his buttons. He didn't like the fact that a nurse came by twice a day, but it was better than staying in the hospital.

"Dad," Rachel began as she pulled him from his thoughts. "Are you going to be able to see me dance… tomorrow?"

Leroy turned to Rachel and smiled.

"Of course, sweetie. Hiram and I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Suddenly, the sound of their door bell rang throughout the house. That can't be the nurse… can it? Leroy thought.

"I'll get it," Hiram said as he headed for the stairs.

….

Lexi was anxious all day. This was her first competition and she didn't know what to expect. Throughout the day a few people have given her a few 'good lucks' and 'break a leg.' Lexi just smiled and thanked them. She knew how important this win was and she didn't want to be the one who screwed it up. Surely, if she did, she would not be allowed back on the team and that Jesse guy would shank her… for sure.

The girl sighed as she headed towards the auditorium for practice.. She wanted to make Shelby proud and assure her that she made the right decision.

"Lexi," Lexi turned around. It was Dr. McNeal.

"Can you step into my office real quick? I can write you a pass for Shelby."

Dr. McNeal knew Shelby. That woman had no tolerance for lateness. A pass was necessary.

"Of course," Lexi said, quickly looking around her, hoping that no one saw her walk into the principal's office. She was worried that if someone saw her, they might think she was in trouble.

"Please, have a seat,"

Lexi took a seat wearily.

"You're not in trouble," Dr. McNeal said kindly, hoping to relax the girl. "I just wanted to talk to you about Shelby Corcoran."

"Miss. Corcoran?" Lexi questioned. What was this about?

"Do you like her?" Dr. McNeal paused. "I was curious as to how things were going. It is a huge honor to make the team… as a freshman."

"Oh, Miss. Corcoran is wonderful… she really knows what she is doing," Lexi began. Dr. McNeal nodded so she could continue. "You can tell she really loves what she is doing."

"Are you able to do other things you like to do outside of Vocal Adrenaline?" Dr. McNeal asked.

"What… do you mean?"

Dr. McNeal leaned forward in his chair.

"What I am asking is, are her rehearsal too much?"

"What? No! I mean… yeah, they are super long, but I love it! It's tiring, but like I said, I love what Vocal Adrenaline is all about… if I have to, I'll rehearsal even more, I can feel myself getting better each time."

Dr. McNeal leaned back in his chair. He had no idea what Jesse St. James was talking about… or if he was right, Lexi was not telling the truth.

"Well, thank you for your time, Lexi."

"Is… that all?" Lexi asked. She was sure she was in trouble.

"Nope," Dr. McNeal said as he wrote out a pass for the girl and then handed it to her. "Good luck tomorrow, Lexi."

Lexi got up for from her seat.

"Thank you, Dr. McNeal."

…

Shelby arrived at the Berry's house before she headed off to rehearsal and rang the doorbell. She was more than happy to hear that the Berry men had made it home safely. The door opened. It was Hiram.

"Shelby, hello." He said with a nervous smile as he stepped aside, allowing the women to step inside. He knew he should have closed the door on the woman, but just because Leroy didn't like the woman didn't mean he had to shut her out. "Rachel is upstairs… I think she is doing her homework."

"Hiram… I was wondering if you and Leroy discussed," she lowered her voice. "about whether or not Rachel could come to New York."

Hiram bit the inside of his mouth. Leroy was going to have a fit if he knew she was here. They hadn't talked about it. In fact, Leroy had avoided the topic. Hiram didn't know why this was such a problem. Shelby seemed very responsible.

"Shelby… now is not a good time,"

"I know that… I do… but I would love it if Rachel could join me,"

"Hiram!" Leroy called from the floor up above. "Who's that the door?" Hiram didn't respond. "Shelby?"

"Shelby?" another voice called out. It was Rachel.

There was a beat.

"Come upstairs," Leroy called coldly.

"After you," Hiram said as he stepped aside.

Rachel made a beeline for Leroy's room. What was Shelby doing here?

"Shelby," Leroy spat. "What are you doing here? What part of stay away don't you understand?"

"Dad!" Rachel cut in. Why was he acting like this?

"Leroy," Shelby tried to get out.

"No! NO! Shelby you are an adult and you clearly have issues following simple instructions. I will call the police if you show up again! You cannot be here!"

"I realize that!" Shelby yelled, causing everyone in the room to jump. "And that's all you keep saying, but you are not giving me an explanation and yes, I know, the contract, but clearly that isn't in place anymore… or won't be! What is wrong with you? From a parent to a parent!" Shelby threw her hands up. "Why are you keeping me from Rachel? You cannot be holding a grudge!" Shelby didn't let either man to interrupt. "Have you even thought about asking Rachel what she wanted? I mean, this is about her! Not you!" Shelby turned to Rachel and softened her eyes. "Rachel, tonight Vocal Adrenaline is leaving for New York City to compete at Nationals. I know this is late minute and it wouldn't have been if your father's had allowed me to ask you the other day, but, sweetie," Shelby got closer to Rachel and pulled her close. "I wanted to know if you wanted to come with us… I know how much you love New York and watching Vocal Adrenaline perform. I would love it, if could come."

All the adults turned to Rachel. They could tell the tiny girl was frightened. She wasn't looking at anyone.

"I… I appreciate the offer… mo- Shelby… but I think… I want to go to my dance competition," Rachel held back tears. "I've worked really hard and… I know that this is like a once in the life time opportunity… but I want… I really want to do this."

Shelby kneeled in front of Rachel and brushed some of the girl's hair to the side.

"I love you, Rachel. I support you 150%. You know how much I would love to see you dance, but you will have both your father's there and I know they will film it so when I get back from New York, I will watch it."

"I wish you could come too," Rachel bowed her head, fighting tears. "But, I know how important this is to you."

Leroy crossed his arms. He knew Rachel would say no… this proved that he knew his daughter and Shelby didn't. This was exactly what he was talking about. Shelby Corcoran was not ready to be a parent. As a parent, you had to give a lot up… it was something you wanted to do, for your child. Leroy would have gone to Rachel's competition if he was covered in bandages and practically immobile. No questions asked. Sure, he would admit that he wasn't always… kind towards the girl, but Rachel was his daughter and all he wanted was to watch her grow up and be successful.

"Say goodbye, Rachel," Leroy said as he gave Shelby a cold glare. "I suspect Shelby has a lot of things to take care of before tomorrow."

"Bye," Rachel said, still, not looking at Shelby.

Rachel was hurt. She felt like she was punched in the stomach. Her mother did not want to watch her dance. Vocal Adrenaline would win, like they did every year. It was no different. Why couldn't the woman just give up this one competition?

"Rach?" Hiram asked gently.

"I'm fine," Rachel lied. "I'm going to go to bed…. I need… I need to be well rested for tomorrow."

With that, the girl walked back to her room, trying best to keep tears back, but it was no use. Once Rachel reached her room, she closed the door and let silent tears slide down her cheeks. She wanted Shelby to be at her competition and that was all. It wasn't a lot to ask.

Once outside, Shelby bit her lip. She had lost this battle. She knew Rachel had a dance competition, but she didn't know it was Friday, as well.

…

_It was late in the morning and Leroy was scrambling around to get ready for Hiram's art show. Hiram had been working his entire life for this moment and there was no way he was going to miss out on this. Hiram was extremely talented. His pieces were refreshing and different and told a story._

"_Shelby!" Leroy called as he tied this tie for the second time. "Are you ready to leave?" There was no response. "Shelby!"_

_Shelby Corcoran was a miracle... a God sent. The men were so happy to have found her. All they wanted was a child and Shelby answered their prayers._

_There was still no response. Leroy checked his watch again. He sighed and climbed the stairs, two at a time, to see what was holding the woman up._

_Leroy reached Shelby's room and lightly knocked on the door. He didn't want to barge in._

"_Shelby?"_

_When Leroy walked in, there was Shelby, sat on the bed, not dressed appropriately for the art show, and her eyes were trained on the television._

"_Shelby, what are you doing? We need to leave now! Please, get dressed."Leroy said._

_Shelby turned towards the man._

"_I'm not going," Shelby said calmly._

"_What?" Leroy yelled. He could feel the fury building inside of him. "Not going? Like hell you are going! I don't want you to think that you are not part of this family because you are, Shelby. Hiram and I care about you and want you to be a part of the things we do and that includes coming to Hiram's art show. You know how hard he has worked for this. Having a solo art show is a big deal!"_

_Shelby was not having it. It's not that she didn't want to go; she just didn't feel up for it. She was fat and it was impossible to get around. Surely, if Leroy was walking around with a fat stomach, he would understand._

"_I know that Hiram has worked extremely hard for this, I do. I want to go, but I can't," Shelby tried to sit up straighter. "Leroy, do you know what it is like to walk around with a baby inside of you?" No, he didn't… obviously. "It's hard. I'm fat and I feel very insecure about myself." The woman paused. "Take lots of pictures, enough so a flipbook can be made and record the reception as well."_

_Leroy stood there in disbelief. Was Shelby really suggesting that? She was crazy! It would not be the same, at all!_

"_Shelby, no one is going to laugh at you. In fact, people will come up to you and will admire you. Growing a baby is beautiful and… it's just… it's hard to explain. It's something really special."_

"_No, I'm sorry, but I am not going."_

_All Leroy wanted to do was to scream and yell and force Shelby to go. He was certain that other than him, the only other person that Hiram would want there would be Shelby. He wanted his soon to be born daughter to see his art. Well, she wouldn't be able to see it, but she could tell her about his art. She would be so proud._

"_Fine. Call if there are any problems,"_

_Leroy slammed the door behind him and left for the art show. How was he supposed to tell his husband that Shelby did not want to go? He would be heartbroken, but he wouldn't show it, not until the show was over and everyone had left. He would put a smile on his face and be thankful for the people who did show up._

…

"Alright everyone!" Shelby said as she clapped her hands together, pushing back what she had just encountered. She needed to focus and if she as focused, Vocal Adrenaline would be focused too. "Let's run through this first place routine one more time before we load the buses!"

Everyone cheered as they went to their places. Everyone was pumped and anxious to get to New York City.

"Hey!" Nicole called out towards Lexi. "You'll do great!"

"Thank you," Lexi said as she let a smile escape her lips.

Lexi smiled to herself. That was all she wanted… was to be accepted by her teammates. It would not only make her feel welcomed, but also would boost her confidence.

No one noticed the brunette boy who was tucked away in the seats above. He crossed his arms as he watched Vocal Adrenaline run through this number. Think, the boy thought to himself. Think! What can I do to put an end to this train wreck and save Vocal Adrenaline from embarrassing themselves?

…..

"Rach?" There was a light knock on her door.

"Please," Rachel said through her teeth. "Go away."

"Rachel, I'm going to come in, okay?" Hiram said from the other side of the door.

Hiram's heart broke when he saw Rachel on her side with a tear stained face. He felt at lost with words, for this girl, who was his daughter, but he couldn't remember anything. He thought that being back home would help, but it didn't. He knew it was going to take time. He was frustrated and all he wanted was for his memory to come back.

Hiram hated that Leroy was so angry again. It was scaring him and Rachel and Hiram didn't know what to do. Leroy seemed calm and collected when they got home, but the moment Shelby showed up, he became a different person.

The man slowly walked over to the girl and sat at the end of her bed and put a comforting hand on the leg.

"Rach, we are so proud of you. You are a shining star. I cannot wait to see your routine," Hiram bit his lip. "Rach, look at me… look at me," the tiny girl reluctantly looked at Hiram. "You don't know how much Shelby wants to be there, but she can't. Okay? I wish she could come too, I really do. If I could somehow… find someone to take her place, I would, but that isn't going to happen." Hiram took the tiny girl's hand. "When you look out into the audience, I will be there and so will Leroy and Kurt and Quinn, cheering you on and when you get off the stage, we will be there to greet you."

The tiny girl brushed away some tears and leaned forward to give Hiram a hug.

"I love you, daddy."

Hiram squeezed his eyes shut.

"I love you too, sweetie."

…..

They were headed to New York City and Lexi was silent and frozen… mute. Everyone around her was joking and singing and laughing, but not her. Why wasn't anyone else scared?

Just then, someone sat next to her.

"Breath," it was Shelby. The woman handed the frightened girl a bottle of water. "You are going to be fabulous, Lexi. Don't worry, okay? I have faith in you."

Lexi slowly turned her head towards the woman.

"What if I forget the lyrics? What if I forget the chorography? Oh gosh, what if I tried to open my mouth to sing, but nothing comes out?"

Shelby pulled the girl into a sideways hug.

"None of that will happen, okay? You are as strong as your weakest link."

Lexi pulled away from the hug and looked at her hands.

"Do me a favor, okay?" the girl looked up at Shelby. "Whatever you do, don't picture anyone in their underwear."

…..

It was Friday and Rachel was on the way to the dance competition. She would have to miss school for the day. She could feel herself shaking all day. She was nervous, she usually never was, but she just was for some reason. The girl wanted to win first place overall. She wanted this so badly. Rachel wanted to make her dads proud… and her friends.

"Rach… Rachel!" Rachel looked up. She was in one of the dressing rooms. How did I get here? Rachel thought. The girl had been so nervous that she didn't realize she had already made it inside.

"Rachel, look at me, sweetie," It was Leroy. The man got down at the girl's level and cupped her face. "You are special and you are so talented, I love you sweetie. Go out there and break a leg."

Rachel bit her lip. She was taken aback by her father's behavior, but she wasn't complaining.

"Thanks, dad," the girl said as she gave her father a big bear hug.

"See you on the other side!" Hiram said as he planted a kiss on the girl's temple.

Rachel watched as the men headed outside the dressing room.

"Rachel!" two voices called out.

Rachel turned around. It was Quinn and Kurt.

"Oh my gosh!" The tiny girl barreled towards the two and gave each of them a hug.

"Thank you so much for coming! You don't know how much this means to me!"

"You know we wouldn't miss this for the world," Quinn said as she shared a smile with the brunette. The blonde started to open her mouth to speak, but clamped it shut.

"What?" Rachel asked. She could tell Quinn wasn't telling her something. She turned to Kurt… he looked the same. "What? What aren't you two telling me?"

"Rachel… how would you… do you…" Kurt nudged Quinn to just spit it out. "Rachel, Kurt and I are here to kidnap you."

Rachel didn't move. What? That sounded ridiculous.

Kurt stepped forward.

"Rachel, what Quinn is saying is we are going to take you to New York City, today, so you can see Shelby... and Vocal Adrenaline perform."

Rachel didn't move. WHAT? She couldn't just leave now! Besides, neither Kurt nor Quinn drove and Rachel was sure their parent's wouldn't make the trip… did they even know they were here? Did Quinn drive here with her parent's car?

"I don't-"

Quinn cut in.

"Rachel, I know you. I know you want to do this. It's NEW YORK CITY! Yes, I know this competition is important, but your head isn't here… you need Shelby and she needs you. You need to be with Shelby."

"How did you know she invited me?"

"We didn't know that…" Kurt said. She paused for a moment and gathered momentum. "See, Rachel! She wants you there! We can leave right now and be there before the competition starts!"

Rachel took a step backwards.

"I don't know, you guys."

"Rachel, you have nothing to worry about," Quinn said gently.

Quinn and Kurt had it all planned out. Quinn did indeed use her parent's car to get to the competition… her parents thought she and Kurt was at school. They told them that after school, they were sleeping over at Rachel's. Kurt had used map quest to figure out how to get to the competition in New York. They would get there and then find Shelby afterwards. It was simple and effective.

Rachel stood there. She did want to go… actually; she wanted to go more than anything in the world. She wanted to leave this town and go to New York City. She wanted to see her mother and support her… her dance competition could wait.

"I should tell my father's we are leaving… and scratch my name off…"

"NO!" Both Quinn and Kurt said at the same time as they launched towards the girl.

"But,"

"No, Rachel," Quinn said sternly. "They can't know."

"We are going to be in so much trouble," Rachel said as she bit her lip.

She didn't know if she was willing to suffer the consequences.

"Yes, we probably will," Kurt began. "But it'll be worth it."

Rachel was torn. She wanted to leave, but she knew her father's would be so angry…not to mention they could get in a car accident. Rachel shook her head. No, she couldn't do this.

"Rachel, come one," Quinn said. "Let's go,"

Move, Rachel told her feet. MOVE!

….

Shelby leaned back in her bed at the hotel. The competition wasn't until later at night. The woman had some time to herself. The bus ride there went smoothly. Everything was going according to plan.

Across the hall, Jesse St. James was unpacking his things. He had managed to get a room with no problem. If Dr. McNeal wasn't going to do anything, he was.

….

"Next up is number 13, Rachel Berry, performing to the song 'Falling Slowly,'" the announcer said.

Both Berry men let out a cheer and clapped their hands. They had seen all the performances ahead of Rachel and they were horrible and poorly choreographed. Rachel was going to win. She was going to win everyone's heart.

"Rachel Berry," the announcer called for a second time. Nothing.

**A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter. I packed a lot in… and I hope none of you are upset with how things panned out, especially with the career choice I chose for Hiram. Art has always been a part of my life and there was no way I was going to write this story and not include it somehow. Also, I hope you are not upset with Shelby. She loves Rachel, but she does not know how to be parent yet. She will get there, I promise. Thank you again for all the support! Sorry for any typos.**

**Also, a heads up, my next chapter will probably be out later, I have orientation for college coming up, so that will set me back a bit… that is why I tried really hard to get this out earlier and to make is a bit longer. Sorry!**


	7. Chapter 7

caseyrn12 – Quinn is a bit older than Rachel. I kept the Quinn's parents in the show in mind and saw them as parents who did not really pay close attention to what she was doing, so that is why Quinn is driving. I see her as someone who wants to grow up fast and leave, so she learned how to drive on her own… but you'll see that it will get her into a lot of trouble. Leroy is so mad because Shelby is back. There will be more flashbacks of times when Shelby was difficult and stuck in her own ways. Shelby is stubborn. Someone might possibly take Shelby's place, but not for Nationals. Thank you for reviewing!

elphieistheshiz – Shelby and Rachel will definitely get to a point where they are comfortable with each other. The current issue that is stopping that from happening is that Shelby does not know Rachel and Rachel only sees the Shelby as the choir Shelby… does that make sense? Her dads will get on board too, but for them it will take a little longer. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

Karissa – Leroy will come around… I will tell you this… another big plot has been growing which will only make him even more angry… but Leroy will come around. Jesse wants to bring Vocal Adrenaline down… but he always acts before he thinks his plans through entirely. Jesse is in for a real surprise. Thank you so much for reviewing!

LinzLou – I hope that things will improve in the fourth season, but I'm not too hopeful. I don't even know if I plan on watching the fourth season. I want to know where Shelby went too! And why wasn't she at Rachel's graduation? Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

broadwaybound2016 – Thank you so much for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

ithrow – Thank you so much!

notnow – Thank you! I hope this chapter keeps you on your toes!

**Once again, thank you so much for all the alerts and reviews! I really do appreciate it!**

**I am sorry this is out so late... or it just feels like I haven't been posting enough, often. So many exciting things have happened this past week that have kept me busy. In a few weeks I will be going on vacation to visit family. I hope that I can get at least 1 or 2 more chapters out before then, but I will have down time to write while I am away.**

**Thank you again and enjoy!**

Leroy's eyes went wide. Panic was beginning to set in. Where was Rachel? She was backstage right? She was backstage running through her routine. Or maybe she just didn't hear her name being called.

"Rachel Berry," the announcer called for a third time. The judges were looking around and giving each other questioning looks.

Out of the corner of Leroy's eye he saw Hiram stand up, trying to see if Rachel was just tucked behind the curtains backstage, but she wasn't.

Leroy did not hear the announcer call the next name. His daughter was not on stage. He did not remember sprinting to the dressing rooms, pushing past mothers with bobby pins in their mouth as they achieved the perfect ballet bun on their daughter's head. He did not remember hearing himself screaming Rachel's name, opening every door he past. And he did not remember as Hiram called out to him, trying to keep up.

"Leroy!" Hiram called out for a second time. "Please, stop! Just stop!" Leroy kept on running ahead. "Do not hurt yourself again! Please, stop running!" Hiram stopped in his spot and put his hand on his head. It hurt. He couldn't go any farther. He tried to catch his breath as she desperately began thinking of where Rachel could be.

"Rachel? Rachel, where are you? Where are you?" Leroy screamed. He turned to a woman next to him. "Have you seen a small girl with brown hair about this tall? She is wearing a pink leotard with a gold star on the left shoulder," Leroy asked as he showed the woman Rachel's approximate height with his hand.

"No, I'm sorry," the woman said shaking her head, clearly unaware uninterested.

"Damn it!" Leroy screamed as he continued his search. Where was Rachel? She couldn't have gotten far, right? She had to still be in the building. "Rachel! Rachel!" Leroy cried out. He was out of breath. He leaned up against a wall and squeezes his eyes shut. He couldn't lose it. Rachel was okay.

"Leroy!" Hiram called out as he finally caught up to him. "It is going to be okay," Hiram said as he put his hand on Leroy's shoulder. "We are going to find her."

Leroy shrugged Hiram's hand off.

"No! It is not going to be okay! My… our daughter is missing!" He threw his hands up in the air, not caring that everyone was watching him while others tried to usher their children away from him. "She was here and now she's not! What if she was kidnapped! What if-"

"Excuse me," a young woman said.

"What!" Leroy spat.

"I think I saw your daughter leaving with two people. A blonde girl who looked a bit older than her and a young boy,"

Hiram's eyes went wide. He knew exactly where Rachel was going. Sure, he didn't remember his own daughter, but after getting to know Rachel, he knew that the girl would do anything to get to be with Shelby Corcoran.

Hiram pressed his lips together. "Thank you," With that, he turned to Leroy and said as calmly as possible, "I know where she is. She went off with Quinn and Kurt to New York City."

…

Jesse St. James pushed his way through the crowd inside the theater where Nationals were going to take place that evening. Jesse was looking around for Karen McMullen, the director of the competition. Karen knew Vocal Adrenaline and their reputation. The boy didn't see why he wouldn't have trouble pulling the woman aside to have a word with her concerning Shelby Corcoran.

Finally, Jesse spotted the woman who was clearly, busy. She had a headset on and, by the looks of it, was screaming over everyone's conservations to give directions to the person on the other line. Jesse took a deep breath and walked towards the woman. He lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Miss. McMullen?" Jesse asked.

The woman turned around and sported a huge grin.

"Jesse, hello!" Karen pulled the mouth piece down, away from her mouth. "It's good to see you!" The woman looked around, a bit confused. "Shouldn't you be backstage, getting ready to go on stage? I'm sure Shelby has all of you on a tight schedule."

"Actually," Jesse cut in. "I won't be performing tonight," he ignored the woman's shocked face. He was still quite shocked himself… not shocked, pissed. "It is kind of a long story," he said as she sighed, "but I was wondering if you had a moment."

Karen looked at her watch, she didn't, but Jesse was a member of Vocal Adrenaline and if you had to, you made time for Vocal Adrenaline.

"Of course, Jesse." The woman directed the boy through a maze of hallways, away from all the commotion.

Finally, they reached a room away from everyone. The woman closed the door behind them and turned to face Jesse.

"What can I do for you, Jesse?" she asked anxiously.

"I asked to speak with you privately because," Jesse began. "I have evidence that suggests Shelby Corcoran has cheated her way to Nationals today."

…..

"Do you know where you are going? Stop! Wait… no," Kurt sputtered out as he poured over a map, trying to direct Quinn to Nationals. "What exit was that?" He yelled as he whipped his head around.

"Kurt!" Quinn said through her teeth.

She could drive… well not legally, but she could. She had friends, seniors, on Cheerios who taught her how to drive about a month and a half ago in a super fancy car. It wasn't that hard, actually, it was like riding a bike… almost. There was no way in hell, Quinn thought, that she was going to wait until she was 16 to get her permit and then have to wait light years afterwards to get her license. She wanted to start acting like an adult now. She was responsible and, according to her friends, a fairly descent driver.

"Kurt! I know where I am going, please, please, just shut up the fuck up so we don't get in an accident!" Quinn hated backseat drivers. Like, seriously, she hated when people told her what to do. She had things under control.

Rachel was in the backseat, gripping to the sides of the seat, holding on for dear life. She was praying that they would all make it to New York City in one piece and that they wouldn't get pulled over by the cops. What happened to minors when they got caught driving illegally? Rachel took a few deep yoga breaths and closed her eyes. They would be there in just a few hours, right?

The brunette tried to think of something to distract and drown out Quinn and Kurt's bickering. She thought about Shelby Corcoran, her mother. The woman she wanted to be and looked up to. Rachel wished she had a mother growing up. She knew she was still young, but she wanted Shelby there on her first day of school or her first dance recital. She wanted Shelby there to pick her up when she fell down or someone to talk to about boys. Someone to sing with and someone to hold her when she just didn't know what was wrong with herself… those days where she just wanted to cry. She wanted Shelby to sing her to sleep and wipe her teas away. Her fathers were there for her, but it wasn't the same. Rachel hated Mother's Day.

"Kurt! I swear, if you open your mouth one more time I am going to chop your right ball off, put it in a blender, and feed it to pigs!" Quinn screamed.

Kurt instantly shut his mouth; he did not want to piss Quinn off any more. All he wanted to do was to tell her to slow down, but Quinn didn't. She wanted to get as far away as possible before Rachel's parents, or their parents for that matter, discovered where they were headed. The boy turned around to see if Rachel was alive. She hadn't uttered a single word since they escaped from the dance competition.

"Rach? Are you okay?" Kurt asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine, Kurt," Rachel said. "How much longer?"

"Well," Quinn said. "we still have quite a trip ahead of us, but I promise we will get there before the competition starts."

Rachel shifted in her seat. She was uncomfortable and she was still in her dance attire. She knew she had forgotten something as they left the dance competition, her clothes, but there was nothing she could do about it now. The brunette opened her eyes and looked out the window as cars and trees zoomed by. Was that a cop car they passed? Rachel shook her head, she knew this was wrong, she just… she needed to see Shelby because she was afraid that she wouldn't get to see the woman again.

…

"Alright everyone!" Shelby said as Vocal Adrenaline gathered around her. "Tonight," she said with all seriousness, "we… are going to win!" Everyone around her cheered. "You all have worked extremely hard and I have faith in each and every one of you. Now, let's go out with a bang!" The woman looked directly at Lexi and smiled at her.

Shelby looked at the time. It was still early and they had already gotten their rehearsal out of the way. She wanted everyone to relax and then get to the theater with plenty of time to spare.

"Everyone, please just hang around the hotel, do not stray too far. Let's all meet outside the theater in two hours and then we will head over there!"

With that, everyone filed out of Shelby's room. Some students went back to their rooms while others grabbed their coats to get some fresh air.

The woman sat back on the bed and laid back. She was a nervous wreck, but didn't want to show it. She had to put on her show face. It wasn't that she doubted their ability, which was not the case at all, what worried the woman was the competition and, ultimately, the judges. Every year, the judges seemed to be tougher because they knew Vocal Adrenaline's reputation. They all had high expectations and wanted to see new and refreshing ideas.

Just then, Shelby's phone began to ring. She groaned and rolled off her bed to retrieve her phone. It was Leroy.

"Hello?"  
_"Shelby! Thank god!"  
_"Leroy? What's going on… are you okay?"  
_"Shelby have you… when was… is Rachel… do you know where Rachel is or has she contacted you?"_

The woman straightened her body. Rachel was missing?

_"We were at her dance competition and she was supposed to go on next, but she didn't! I just…" _Leroy paused. _"I… Hiram… he thought that she might… he thought that she might have left to see you…"_

The silence was deafening. Shelby had nothing to do with Rachel's leaving, but now, she was afraid Leroy would accuse her of so. She couldn't tell if he was angry at her… he really sounded panicked at the moment.

_"Shelby… are you still there?"  
_"Yes… Leroy… I just… I don't have anything to do with this… why did you call me? Rachel could not have driven to see me… unless… I know she doesn't drive…"  
_"Shelby, her two friends Quinn and Kurt came to pick her up in the dressing now. Now, I don't know if Rachel knew about this before, but all I know is that Quinn is driving illegally"  
_"Oh my god…" Shelby said under her breath.

The woman could hear the sounds of voices in the background. She strained her ears to try to hear what was going on. Panic was actually starting to set in. At first, Shelby didn't know what to feel, yes, she was worried about Rachel, but judging by Leroy's behavior, Shelby didn't know what to think or whether he would believe her if she said that she had nothing to do with Rachel's running off. She was getting whip lash trying to keep up.

Shelby could hear Hiram's voice in the background. "Leroy, has she had any contact with Rachel?" No.

"Leroy," Shelby said over the phone. "Rachel is not with me and if she does, I will call you, I promise." Shelby was trying to me calm. She already have enough on her plate.  
_"Okay," _was all Leroy said and with that, he hung up.

Shelby put her head in the hands. _Damn it_, she thought to herself. _DAMN IT. _Where was Rachel? And who was driving? Shelby felt helpless, she was in New York and Rachel was on her way to see her. Were there police cars searching for her? How close to New York was she? Did she know how to get here?

….

Quinn felt quite proud of herself. They were a little over half way to New York and she hadn't been stopped and they were right on track with time. The blonde look to the passenger side. Kurt was texting. In the backseat, Rachel had dozed off. _Thank goodness_, Quinn thought. The last thing she needed was to have two backseat drivers.

Quinn had to be honest; she was worried she might be stopped. She knew that by now, the Berry's had definitely figured out where they were headed. It was just a matter of time before the cops got to them. The blonde sped up just a little more. She just needed to get them there fast and soon.

"Are we there yet?" Rachel mumbled.

"Not yet," Quinn said gently. "Go back to sleep,"

You can do it, Quinn thought to herself. She didn't like driving on the highway because there were some insane drivers out there. She hoped that she looked old enough to be driving from a cop's point of view.

…

It all happened so fast. Before they knew it, the Berry men were speaking to the police, who, had already sent out a few patrol cars for the three teens. Quinn's and Kurt's parents were also contacted. They too, were unaware of this plan.

"What the hell!" Burt Hummel yelled. "How can _you,_" he pointed his finger at Leroy and Hiram. "let this happen! Our… my boy could get in a car accident! Why hasn't anyone caught these children! Do we know if Quinn is a good driver?" He shot a look at Judy Fabray.

Judy Fabray had no idea that Quinn went behind her back… then again, she was never really around, but she sure as hell wasn't going to admit that. She did not want to look like a bad parent.

"Don't make my daughter the victim now! Your son is just as responsible! And Rachel! Of all people, I'm surprised she agreed to leave," Judy shot back.

"_Please_," Burt scoffed. "Your daughter is driving the damn car!"

"All of you, please, refrain from speaking another word," a police officer said as he rubbed his temples. He clearly had no patience, especially angry parents. "All this fighting… will get you nowhere. If you cannot agree to listen to each other, than this is going to be one hell of a night for all of you" The police officer looked at his watch. "And me," he said under his breath. Judging by the time he predicted the children had left, they would be arriving in New York City soon.

"What do you need to know?" Hiram asked calmly, trying his best to hold Leroy back.

"Well," the officer began. "We need to know your," he looked towards Judy, "license plate."

"Of course," Judy said as she stuck her nose in the air as if giving this number would solve this pickle and they could all call it a night. "It's XMl45." The officer scribbled down the number.

Leroy could not take it anymore. Why was everyone taking their goddamn time? He shot up, ignoring the plain that radiated through his body. He was supposed to be resting his body, but that clearly was not going to happen.

"Call Shelby Corcoran."

"Sir, we already have someone going to the hotel to speak with her," the officer cut in, looking down at his notes.

When Leroy spoke with Shelby a few hours ago, how the hell was he supposed to believe that woman? Of course she had everything to do with Rachel running off. He almost believed her, for a second. It was foolish.

Burt was pacing. Judy had her arms crossed, seated in a corner with her legs crossed like this wasn't her fault. Leroy was leaning against a wall with his hand, trying his best not to give that police officer a run for his money. And, Hiram was seated by himself. He didn't really know these people… he knew he should, but he just… he felt out of place.

Just then, a woman police officer walked in. All the adults turned their attention to her… their eyes putting a spotlight on her.

"Hello," she said carefully. "My name is Mary. We have some more news."

"Well spit it out already!" Burt said as he rushed to her side.

Mary put her hand up to stop him from coming any closer. Didn't this man hear of personal space?

"Do you want the good news first, or the bad news?"

"Good," Hiram said.

"Bad," Burt and Leroy said at the same time.

Judy Fabray said nothing. She hadn't even acknowledged the fact that Mary was there.

"Good news is, your children are in New York City,"

"How the hell is that good news?" Leroy's voice boomed. "You should have caught them before they got there! You're not doing your job!"

Mary ignored the man and continued talking.

"Bad news is they are on the run. We are still trying to figure out if they went straight to the theater, or, if they took a little detour."

…..

There was a knock at Shelby's door. She groaned. This better be a student. She did not need any distractions right now. She was about to leave to head to the theater with the rest of Vocal Adrenaline.

The woman opened the door and frowned.

"Shelby Corcoran?"

"That's me,"

"My name is Officer Bentley. May I have a word with you please?"

Shelby stepped to the side. Unsure of what was going on… though she had a pretty good idea it had to do with Rachel.

….

"Jesse, I don't understand," Karen said.

Jesse sighed. He already got this crap from his principle and he didn't need it again from this woman. Shelby this and Shelby that and blah, blah, blah. Yeah, Vocal Adrenaline had a good reputation, whatever.

"Jesse, nothing suggests that Shelby Corcoran has been cheating. She works extremely hard and so does her students, you should know." The woman crossed her arms. "I don't know what you are trying to do here, but it has got to stop. You've wasted my time. I am extremely busy right now."

"I understand that-" Jesse tried to cut in.

"No, actually, you don't." Karen said. "Jesse, if you want to take this seriously, you should have spoken sooner, not now… not when a few hours before the competition. Vocal Adrenaline will perform tonight and by my judgment, they will most likely win. There's a lot of competition, but I saw them rehearsing and that new girl is phenomenal. You should be proud, not tearing this team apart."

Karen briskly walked past Jesse. She didn't know what to think now. Jesse St. James, the star of Vocal Adrenaline was betraying his teammates. The woman shook her head. Teens were hard to figure out.

….

"Are you here about Rachel Berry?" Shelby asked as she watched Officer Bentley look around her hotel room. She had nothing to hide.

"Yes," the officer said. She turned to face Rachel. "Leroy has reason to believe that you are part of this… get away."

"You're kidding, right?" Shelby said. Seriously? "Let me just start off by saying that I did not send a fourteen year old and a thirteen year old to get my daughter to drive all the way from of Ohio to New York, that's crazy!"

"You're right, it is, but-"

"No, let me finish," Shelby held her hand up. "I care about Rachel and her safety and I would never, ever go behind her father's backs. Yes, I did offer Rachel an invitation to come to New York with us, but she told me that she would rather go to her dance competition, which I was 150% fine with!" Shelby was trying her best not to lose it. Why and how did it get like this? "I want Rachel to be happy and if dancing is what she wants to do, then I will let her!"

Officer Bentley cut in. "Ma'am, please, calm down, we just need to clear up all the fuzzy facts,"

Shelby was not having it.

"With all due respect, can this wait? I have a competition to go to and it is kind of important that I go seeing that I am the coach,"

Shelby waited, expecting the officer to decline her request, but to her surprise, the officer shook her head.

"If Rachel came to New York with her friends to seek out you, she will most likely be at the theater,"

Shelby nodded, that seemed logical. With that, Shelby grabbed her bag and walked right past the officer, like she wasn't even in the room.

….

"Alright everyone!" Shelby said as everyone gathered around her. "It's show time! Break a leg! Remember, have fun and sing with your hearts."

Everyone looked amazing in their costumes. Shelby was pumped and everyone seemed excited… they all had their eyes on the prize. The woman was relieved to see some students wishing Lexi good luck. The girl looked nervous, but she was more than ready to shine.

Vocal Adrenaline would be performing second to last out of four groups. The first two were so-so, good, but not enough to place high. They had talent, but Shelby didn't think it was enough to impress the judges. The group before them was actually horrible and would most likely not even place. Shelby was very good at predicting the outcome of the competitions they attended. At one point, some students began placing bets to see if she would be correct. The only group left to perform would be New Directions.

Shelby couldn't help but look around for Rachel. She knew she was being watched carefully. _Please_, Shelby thought to her, _please be in the theater._

"Places!" a stage manager called out.

….

Quinn and gotten to New York in no time, just like she had promised. In fact, they were early. All three teens were nervous… they were afraid that there were be swarms of cops in New York when they got there, but they were safe.

"Let's get a quick bit to eat!" Kurt said as he jumped out of the car. He was just happy to be walking on land.

The three had found a small restaurant tucked away a few blocks away from the theater. Every time either of them heard a siren, they snapped their head around; wondering if that was for them.

Quinn looked at her watch, "We should probably start walking to the theater."

The other two nodded in agreement. They got up from their seats and threw their trash out.

Rachel lingered behind. She didn't know why she got a little nervous before she saw her mother, but she was, maybe even more so this time around. She wondered if Shelby knew they had run off. Or if her father's would be waiting for her at the theater to take her away. Or if the police would be there. So many scenarios ran through the girl's mind. She was scared… she knew this was a bad idea and definitely would not end well.

The three walked into the theater and pay for their tickets. How Quinn managed to obtain the money for this trip was beyond Kurt and Rachel, but nonetheless, it was nice to see her being herself for once.

"I'm… I'm going to go to the bathroom," Rachel said as soon as they sat down.

The two looked at her and nodded. They were going to stay seated and hopefully, hidden.

The brunette rushed to the bathrooms, hoping she would be able to find Vocal Adrenaline's room. She only had a few minutes before the competition was going to start.

"The bathrooms are clear," Rachel hear a voice say into a walkie talkie. The brunette ducked into an empty room when she saw it was a police officer. _Crap_, she thought to herself.

They were here. They found them. Rachel was going to be in so much trouble. Shelby was going to hate her. What if they all got arrested? The small girl began to panic; she didn't want this to happen. She just… she wanted to be back at the dance competition. Her father's were going to kill her. She didn't even want to think about what Kurt and Quinn's parents would think or do.

Rachel brushed her tears away and made a beeline for her seat. Just as she sat down, the lights began to dim.

"Rach?" Kurt asked.

"They're here," Rachel said. "They found us,"

All three of them held each other's hands, unsure of what was going to happen. Somehow, they didn't think that they would be able to enjoy the performance.

….

Backstage Lexi was pacing. She felt like she was going to throw up. She had more than butterflies in her stomach, it was like pterodactyls.

"I can't do this," she said as she practically ran into Shelby. She was borderline tears. "I can't… I'm going to screw this up,"

"Hey, stop that," Shelby said gently. She held the girl steady. "Stop second guessing yourself, you are ready and you are going to be amazing. I don't think you realize how talented you are. I wouldn't have given you this chance if I didn't think you were ready."

Lexi eventually made eye contact with the woman and took a deep breath. "_Put your hands together for, Vocal Adrenaline!"_ The announced called. The crowed was going wild.

"Break a leg, sweetie," Shelby said as she lightly pushed Lexi on stage for her solo.

…

Leroy and Hiram Berry, Burt Hummel, and Judy Fabray were all piled in a police car, driving… more like speeding, to New York. They bickered the entire time.

"You think this is my fault?" Judy yelled, putting her hand on her chest. "You're fucking kidding me, right?"

"This is _your _fault!" Burt challenged. "You are supposed to be watching your daughter! If you had known that your daughter was learning how to drive, you would stop it!"

"Now why in God's name would I do that? And stop Quinnie? I don't want to have her on a freaking leash!"

"So you're saying we keep Rachel on a leash like a dog?" Leroy spat. "I'd rather have a watchful eye on her than not know where she is! She is still young and needs us!"

"Leroy," Hiram said under his breath. He was exhausted and he was sure Leroy was too. They left their medication at home and didn't know how much longer he could last.

"I do not keep Kurt on a leash, as well! In fact, he enjoys our father and son bonding, which I'm sure you and Quinn do plenty of! I like getting to know my son because, believe it or not, they grow up fast and they become resilient teenagers."

"Shut the fuck up and don't tell me how to raise my daughter!" Judy screamed. "They are already there! Look where we are! Look where we are headed! News flash! That ship has already sailed!"

"Please!" a new voice boomed. "Everyone please be quiet or I will give you a reason to be quiet," the officer driving the car said. Enough was enough. He did not want to hear anymore of this crap. "Now, if you can all manage to be quiet, I can get us there sooner."

All the adults were glaring at each other, thinking of way to decapitate each other.

…

The three were on the edge of their seats, just waiting for an officer to handcuff them and escort them out of the theater or announce their names for everyone in the audience to hear. It was going to be humiliating either way.

Vocal Adrenaline was up next and Rachel looked around for Shelby. Where was she?

…

Lexi took a deep and took center stage. Everything became silent. A single spotlight was placed on Lexi. She looked out into the audience but only saw waves of subtle outlines of heads, some moving to try to get a better view. Then, then music started.

_Turn down the lights  
Turn down the bed  
Turn down these voices inside my head  
Lay down with me, tell me no lies_

_Just hold be close, don't patronize  
Don't patronize me.  
Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
You can't make your heart feel something it won't_

_Here in the dark, in these final hours  
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power  
But you won't, no you won't…._

As Lexi finished her solo and the music faded, the crowed leapt to their feet, giving the girl a standing ovation. It was a sound like no other. It was the sound of acceptance.

A smile spread across Lexi's face. She did it. She turned and saw her classmates clapping and cheering. She saw Shelby giving her an approving nod.

With that, the girl nodded and the music started up again.

Their next number was Billy Joel's _'River of Dreams_' after Lexi's solo, the crowed remained standing.

….

Half way through Vocal Adrenaline's final number, something caught the corner of Rachel's eye. Someone was pointing in her direction. Rachel jabbed Kurt in the hip with her elbow and nodded her head in the direction of the unknown stranger.

"Shit," Kurt said under his breath.

"Fuck," Quinn said when she heard Kurt swear under his breath.

The figure was coming closer. This is it, Rachel thought. I am either going to die or I will be grounded until I see my grave.

"Excuse me," the man said. "Are you Rachel Berry?" the brunette nodded. "And I assume these are your friends, Quinn and Kurt?" the man didn't give them a chance to respond. "Please, follow me."

The three followed the man, shaking and unsure of what was going to happen. The man led them out to the lobby, which was empty, except for two police officers standing there under the dim lights.

Rachel instantly began to sob. "I'm innocent! I don't want to be arrested! Please, don't… I… I'll be good! Just don't… don't arrest me… or my friends! Please!" Rachel collapsed on ground. She wasn't trying to be dramatic, she was scared shitless.

The female police officer stepped forward and kneeled in front of Rachel. "Rachel?" the officer asked gently. "My name is Debora Bentley. You are not going to be arrested, you all are; however, in a lot of trouble. Your parents should be here in a few hours. You all gave us quite a scare." Rachel didn't look at the woman; instead, she continued to cry as she stared at the patterned rug. The woman tried to offer Rachel a hug, but Rachel pulled away. She didn't know his woman.

The male officer stepped forward and introduced himself to Quinn and Kurt.

"My name is Jon," he shook their hands and took a deep breath. "Quinn do you realize how dangerous driving to with two minors and without a license is?" she nodded. "I'm not going to lecture either of you now, not until your parents get here,"

"My mom is coming?" Quinn asked. That can't be. How the hell did they get a hold of her?

"Yes, Quinn, she is. It was hard to get in touch, but we did." The officer eyed the blonde carefully. Something about the way Quinn asked was off.

Debora stood up, unsure of what to do with Rachel.

"Why don't we do somewhere private while we wait?"

Quinn sat next Rachel. She looked kind of silly in her dance attire. Quinn felt horrible. The blonde pulled Rachel into a hug. Kurt walked towards them, but didn't join the hug… he felt a bit awkward… and angry… at Quinn. The blonde felt so many things… she felt stupid enough to talk Kurt and Rachel into doing this.

"This is my fault," Quinn said, not taking her eyes off of Rachel. "This was my idea and I pressured them to come along… I… I knew how much Rachel wanted to see her…. see Shelby and I thought that this… we…." Quinn didn't know what to say.

Jon sighed. "Let's talk somewhere else, okay?"

….

Vocal Adrenaline ended their set and the crowd went wild. They ran off the stage and all high fived each other and congratulated each other. Cheering and jumping. Success.

"Let's hear it for Lexi!" Nicole cheered.

Lexi was beaming. Shelby wrapped the girl in a hug.

"I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it!"

The team made their way back to their seats and New Directions took the stage. Everyone sat down again as the team took their places

….

New Directions ended their number and the crowed was wild, maybe even more enthusiastic from the previous performance.

Vocal Adrenaline clapped to be good sports, but they were worried. Was their performance enough?

The lights went up and the judges left to deliberate.

"Don't worry," Nicole said to Lexi. "We got this."

…..

No one saw Jesse St. James slip into the judge's room. He had a plan C. Third time's the charm right? Karma was a bitch. Like a slap in the face.

…

Rachel, Kurt, and Quinn all sat far away from the officers. No one spoke. No one knew what was going to happen. No one looked at each other. Rachel had stopped crying, but she refused to look anyone in the eye.

"I'll be right back," Jon said causally, breaking the silence. He had just received a message saying that the parents were about twenty minutes away and that now would be a good time to get Shelby.

The three watched as Jon left.

"Please," Kurt finally spoke up. "Please, say something. I don't like this silence. I need… we need to know…"

Debora looked at the children. She kind of felt bad… but then again, she hated when this happened and she hated having to deal with it. It was a hassle. Teenagers were one thing, but dealing with angry parents was another.

"Well," she began as she pulled up a chair and sat across from them. "When your parents get here, we are going to discuss your punishment."

"But, I thought you said we weren't going to get arrested," Quinn said, quickly looking towards Rachel who had started to cry again.

"Yes, you're right, but we are not going to let you guys go free. You need to understand how serious this was and that it cannot happen again. You children displayed that you wanted to be treated like adults, but I am sure this is not really the case."

"So, what's going to happen?" Rachel mumbled as she wiped some away.

"Your parents will be here soon. I would rather talk about our next course of action when they get here."

All four of them fell back into silence.

….

Vocal Adrenaline were still celebrating, well most of them.

Lexi was began to get nervous again. She was kneaded her hands together. What if she let her team down? What if they hated her and wanted her out? Would Shelby keep her on the team? What about Jesse?

"Hey," Nicole nudged Lexi. "Win or lose, you are still on this team. You are talented, Lexi. And I am sorry everyone second guessed you before they got to know you."

The girl smiled. That was all she wanted. She wanted them to see her for who she was.

"Thank you, Nicole. That really means a lot… you have no idea."

There was a knock on the door and everyone went silent. Was it already time to go back to the theater?

Shelby answered the door.

"Shelby Corcoran?"

The woman groaned and slipped out the door, hoping no one saw. But they did. They all saw the officer at the door.

"Do you really have to do this now? Can it wait like twenty more minutes?"

"Miss. Corcoran," Jon said. "That is not an option, please come with me. We have all three children and their parents should be here at any moment."

The woman's mind began to race. Was everyone okay? Was Rachel okay? Was she scared? Shelby didn't even want to begin to think how Leroy was going to react. It was going to be a blood bath.

"They are right in here," Jon said as he allowed Shelby to step into the room.

All four of the people in the room turned towards Shelby.

"Mom!" Rachel cried as she leapt out of her seat and barreled towards the woman. She didn't realize that she had called Shelby mom and she didn't realize that she was sobbing.

The woman caught the crying girl in her arms and held her close. She frowned and wondered why Rachel was in a leotard. She must be cold.

"I'm sorry… I'm… I shouldn't… I'm sorry!" Rachel sobbed into the woman's shoulder.

The others in the room seemed to be unsure of what to do.

"You're okay, sweetie," Shelby cooed. "You're okay." The woman shrugged her pull over off and draped it around the girl's shoulders.

Just then, a new sterner and stronger voice filled the room.

"Shelby," it was Leroy.

He stomped in the room followed by Hiram, Burt, Judy, and another officer. It was a freaking party.

…

Everyone from Vocal Adrenaline were still trying to figure out what was happening. Where was Shelby? They all looked around for her. Shouldn't she be with them to see them win?

They all held each other's hands and squeezed their eyes shut. They were about to find out who was going to win.

New Directions or Vocal Adrenaline.

**A/N: Thank you again and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is not the end! I have a lot planned! Also, just a reminder, Rachel is thirteen, so her actions are explainable… in my eyes. I know a lot of this information may be inaccurate because I don't really know what would happen in this situation and, I didn't want these children arrested. Sorry for any typos.**


	8. Chapter 8

TheAsianWhoIsAFanzel – Oh, dear is right! These kids are in serious trouble. Thank you for reviewing.

Anon – These kids will be sorry, especially Rachel, she has been feeling guilty from the very start. She knew it was wrong. Jesse is not giving up until he brings Vocal Adrenaline down. The judges will notice though and you will find out more in this chapter. Shelby isn't quite sure what has happened, but when she does, she is not going to leave Rachel's side. Thank you so much for your kind words. It means a lot!

caseyrn12 – All the parents will punish their children. These kids need to know it was wrong. Rachel was definitely scared shitless and Kurt, too. Thank you! There will be more hints about Quinn's past, nothing too big yet though. It's another plotline that will I'm starting to play around with. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

GleekGirl101 – All three kids will be told their punishments, on top of whatever their parents give them. Shelby will be faced with deciding whether or not to continue coaching, though! Thank you for reviewing!

majestic seahorse – Rachel is so scared right now. She will not be leaving Shelby's side. Something will happen to Vocal Adrenaline in this chapter! Jesse is up to no good and you will find out what he is up to in this chapter! I love all your ideas and will definitely take them into consideration! Thank you so much for reviewing!

Anon – The three are in for a real treat. Each will have their own share of punishments that their parents give them. Leroy is a jerk and will continue to be a jerk… unfortunately. Thank you so much for reviewing!

Notnow – Thank you! I tried to remember when I was thirteen to try to nail Rachel's actions. I never liked that contract, at all. Oh, I would love to have Leroy and Jesse in the same room… it would be like a scene from gladiators. Thank you so much for your encouraging words. This is my first fanfic and I'm still trying to find my style. I'm not the strongest writer, but I do enjoy doing it on the side. Thank you, thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

Dee081939 – These kids are on the edge of their seats now. Their punishments will be revealed in this chapter! Leroy holds grudges, which is just horrible. Thank you for reviewing! I hope to get this chapter out soon!

tlgonzal – Shelby is in for the fight and… here's a little secret, Hiram will back her up and maybe even help her out! There will be Rachel/Shelby scenes in this chapter and many more to come! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

Anon – Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Your kind words mean a lot! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Wow! Thank you so much for all the alerts and reviews! I am so happy so many of you are enjoying this. It really means a lot! I worked hard to get this out fast, as promised in my previous chapter. I tried to make it a bit longer since I will be going away on vacation to visit family for a week in about two days and I'm not sure how much down time I will have. Thank you again and I hope many of your questions will be answered! I hope all of you have a Happy 4****th**** of July!**

**Oh, I got to see Idina Menzel for the first time in concert a few nights ago. It was beautiful. She is so incredibly talented… she mentioned that she is in the works of a new Broadway show. Fingers crossed!**

_Jesse St. James slipped into the room where the judges were going to decide the winner. He had a plan. All he had to do was convince them that Vocal Adrenaline did not deserve to win, or place at all, for that matter. If that didn't work, he would bribe them. Simple as that._

"_Excuse me, sir, but you cannot be back here," Jesse spun around and came face to face with one of the judges. He was a hefty guy who looked as though he could be a body guard… or something like that, Jesse thought._

"_Actually," Jesse said with confidence. "I am one of the judges." A beat. "Let's get started, shall we?"_

"_Wait," the second judge said. It was a woman. She was average height and had long brown hair that was pulled back into a bun. "I don't remember hearing your name being introduced at the start of the competition."_

"_Oh, well I came late." Jesse said causally._

_Most of the judges at these competitions had the IQ of a fridge magnet, as Jesse recalled. Surely, these three judges would be easy to convince._

"_Can we just get started?" the first judge asked. He seemed like one of those judges who had no idea why he was here and how he got this gig. "I just want to get this over with. I don't even sing or whatever… so…"_

"_Yes, yes. Let's get this show on the road!" the woman said as she leaned forward to shake Jesse's hand. "My name is Julie."_

_Jesse shook the woman's hand. One down, two to go._

"_Tony," the first judge said as he nodded in Jesse's direction. Jesse nodded back._

_Just one more. The third judge had yet to utter a word._

"_Jesse… that's your name, right?" Jesse nodded. "Jesse… Jesse… Jesse St. James?" Jesse froze. Shit. Did this woman know him? He quickly shook his head. No. "No? I could have sworn you look like the Jesse from Vocal Adrenaline." The third judge said suspiciously._

"_I get that a lot," Jesse said quickly. "But, I don't sing… or perform." He added._

"_No, you really, really do look like him." The woman continued to push as she looked at Jesse carefully. She took a step closer. _

_Shit, Jesse thought to himself again. He thought about saying that he was the Jesse St. James, that he had just misheard her, and that he retired from the group and was asked to be a guest judge. But the question was, could he pull that off?_

_And who was this chick anyway? Although Jesse was flattered that he had fans, he did not need this crap right now._

"_Jodi, just drop it," Tony said, annoyed. "I agree with Julie, I want to make a decision ASAP so we can just get out of here."_

_The two judges sat down, but Jodi remained standing with her arms crossed. She was not convinced._

"_What?" Jesse challenged. "You don't believe me?"_

"_Actually, no, I don't." Jodi said in a matter of fact tone._

_Bitch, Jesse thought to himself. He, like the other two judges, just wanted to make a decision and she was holding everyone up. Jodi still remained standing._

_Reluctantly, she sat down so everyone could begin to decide who would win._

"_I think, hands down, Vocal Adrenaline should win," said Tony. "I have to say, I am a huge Joni Mitchell fan and that new girl, she was outstanding… her voice was flawless."_

_It took everything Jesse had not to lash out at the man. He gripped the sides of his chair tightly._

"_I agree, Tony; however, I think that New Directions did exceedingly well." Said Julie. Jesse nodded in agreement. "I mean, their chorography held my attention… for the most part." A beat. "You know, I used to be a dancer."_

_No one cares, Jesse thought. He was about to open his mouth when the third judge spoke up._

"_Personally, Vocal Adrenaline has my vote, like Tony said. I must say, their rendition of Billy Joel's 'River of Dreams' was breath taking."Jodi said._

_Jesse sighed heavily. Bullshit._

"_Oh, do you have something to say… Jesse?" Jodi asked, as if she had forgotten he was in the room._

"_Yes, I do." Jesse gritted his teeth together. "I think all of you are not seeing the real picture here!" he threw his hands up. "Don't you think you should give the other teams a chance? I mean, what about the other teams? Didn't you consider them?"_

_Tony cut in."Yes, but they just… either they were having an off day or they didn't want it as badly." Tony crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I've already made my decision."_

"_But," Jesse said. "I think that you shouldn't pick a group solely based on their music selection."_

"_Actually," Julie said. "I think music selection is a big part." A beat. "It's all about theme." This woman sounded crazy, Jesse thought. Did she actually know what she was talking about? "I mean, you wouldn't do say… a Broadway cover such as 'Take Me or Leave Me' and then transition into I don't know…. a Radiohead song. Those two just don't go together. Or-"_

"_Okay, okay! Whatever!" Jesse spat. "I just think that Vocal Adrenaline didn't do their best."_

"_On the contrary," Jodi began. "I think they did. I have watched that team grow and each time they perform, they deliver, and it's not just the same chorography or music choice. Each performance is unique in its own way. I leave the theatre wanting more. Their performance tells a story."_

_Jesse could not stand to hear this praise anymore. This woman was rambling._

"_Well, Vocal Adrenaline does not have my vote. They don't even place in my eyes."_

"_That's okay," Jodi said. "everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Let's vote."_

_All four judges wrote down their scoring. After a few minutes, a man entered to take their results to be tallied. After he left, Jodi stood up. _

"_Will you three excuse me for a second?" With that, Jodi slipped out of the room, giving Jesse no time to stop her._

…_._

"Shelby, god damn it," Leroy said under his breath as he stomped towards Shelby to pull Rachel from her grasp.

"Dad, no!" Rachel cried out as she clung onto Shelby. "No!"

"Rachel Barbra Berry, you are in so much trouble!" Leroy's voice filled the entire room. Rachel was sure she felt the room shake. Fresh tears began to pour out of her eyes.

"No, Rachel, no! _You_ listen to _me_!" he yanked Rachel from Shelby's grasp. He pointed his finger in Rachel's face. "Do you know how dangerous this little stunt you and your friends pulled was? _Do you_?"

Rachel squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't look into her father's eyes. "Yes, dad," she sobbed.

"You do not-"

"Leroy," Hiram said coldly. "Don't do this,"

"Do what?" spat Leroy.

"Don't scare her!" Hiram said as he stepped forward. "If you want Rachel to talk, don't scream at her."

"You're kidding me, right?" Judy spat as she stepped in. "It's the only way to get them to listen!" She turned her attention to her daughter. "Quinn," she said through her teeth. "Get your ass over here, _right now._"Quinn bit her lip and wearily stepped forward. She hated when her mother did this in public. It was humiliating. "When we get home I am going to-"

"Ms. Fabray," Officer Bentley said coldly. The blonde woman turned to face the officer and softened her hard face. Officer Bentley continued. "If I should have any reason to suspect that your daughter, Quinn, is in danger, I will not allow her to go home with you."

The small blonde looked at her feet, avoiding everyone else's worried looks. She was fine. Nothing happened… nothing had happened.

"Everything is fine, officer." Judy said as she smiled at Officer Bentley and the other two officers.

Burt Hummel stepped forward.

"Now, what I want to know is where do we go from here? What will my son, Kurt, and his friends have to do? Are there any fines or something like that? Will there be any community service?"

"Well," Jon, the other officer, said stepping forward. "for starters, Quinn will have to pay a fine for driving underage as a minor."

Quinn bit her lip. The blonde tried to avoid her mother's hard eyes. She would have to pay that fine… how? She wasn't sure. She knew one thing though; her mother would not pay a single penny.

"Also, all three children will have to do community service as well as take classes on safety regulations and driving."

Kurt rolled his eyes. Seriously? Just because Quinn was the one driving didn't mean he had to suffer.

"And how many hours are we talking about?" Burt asked as he cupped his hands together.

"A judge will have to make that call," Debora Bentley said. "But-"

Hiram cut in. "When will we find this out? Will they have options about where they are placed to work? Will they get to work together?"

"Again," Officer Bentley said calmly. "I cannot make those calls. I wish I could tell you right off the bat, but it's not for me say."

There was so much tension in the room. Rachel had managed to pull free from Leroy's grasp. The tiny brunette clung onto Shelby who was standing next to Hiram, a few feet away from Leroy. Judy and Quinn were not making eye contact. And, Burt was rubbing Kurt's back, trying to keep the boy calm, who had barely uttered a word.

Hiram felt so disconnected from the rest of the group. He didn't know… remember these people and he felt as though Leroy had forgotten that he had no memory and that it wasn't all going to come back to him with the snap of his fingers. Hiram was also concerned for Leroy's health. The man was clearly furious. He was supposed to be resting, but that was out of the question now.

A light knock broke the silence. It was Karen McMullen, the director of the competition.

"Excuse me, I am sorry to bother all of you, but Shelby, you are needed… there's-"

Just then, the sound of Jesse's voice could be heard, loud and clear.

"You're fucking kidding me, right?"

Shelby groaned. She gave Rachel's hand a quick squeeze and slipped out of the room. She knew that voice anywhere. Jesse St. James. Of course, Shelby thought, he would show up at Nationals.

…..

_A few minutes later, Jodi slipped back into the room, but this time she wasn't alone. A tall man with the word 'security' written on this back was with her._

"_Jesse St. James," the man said. It wasn't even a question._

_Jesse stood up. Fuck, he thought to himself, fuck! Again, his plan was failing. Why was this happening? He was the Jesse St. James… the one who got what he wanted! Why wasn't he getting what he wanted?_

"_You won't get in trouble if you leave right now and do not cause a scene." The security guard said with an even tone._

_Jesse pushed his lips together. He was not going to play nice, not quite._

"_Fine," Jesse said calmly, putting on a show face. "I'll leave." The boy got up gracefully and followed the man out of the room… cool, calm, and collected._

_The two walked towards the exit of the building. Jesse started to linger behind as they reached the doors to the auditorium. He could hear the announcer inside. He remembered that feeling before the winner was announced. You could hear your own heart beating and everyone's around you too. It was like the world was holding its breath for you. "And the winner of the 2012 Nationals Championship goes to…."_

_That was his cue, Jesse bolted. He pushed through the auditorium doors and sprinted down the aisle to the front of the stage._

"_Hey!" the man said as he chased after him. "Stop right there! Someone stop him! Jesse St. James don't walk another step!"_

_But Jesse didn't listen. He kept on running. As Jesse neared the stage, a few people began to notice him._

"_And the winner is…." Everyone held their breath. "VOCAL ADRENALINE!"_

_The crowd went wild and jumped to their feet. Every member of Vocal Adrenaline hugged each other and some had tears in their eyes. Nicole among others gave Lexi a hug and a pat on the back. A few members strayed from the group to give New Directions a hand shake and a job well done._

_Jesse stumbled on the stage and ripped from the mic from the announcer's grasp before anyone could stop him._

"_You're fucking kidding me, right?" he screamed into the mic._

_The entire room went silent._

…..

Shelby swiftly walked down the aisle. She shook her head as she heard Jesse. She wasn't surprised at all. The woman knew Jesse was one to hold a grudge, but this time, he took it too far.

"Fuck this!" Jesse screamed as a few security members tried to pry him off the stage. "No! Let me just say this." No one moved. You could hear a pin drop. "That woman," he said as he pointed towards Shelby. "Is a cheater! You know who deserves first place? Well, I'll tell you who doesn't deserve first place and that is Vocal Adrenaline."

"Someone get him off the stage!" screamed the director.

But Jesse continued to talk. He was surprised no one had pulled him off the stage or tasered him, like you see at baseball games when people run onto the field.

"Did you know that Shelby has rehearsals that run for ten hours sometimes even more at a time? It's crazy and absurd right?" A beat. "And you ask, why now? Why did Jesse St. James wait until now to tell this? Well, I tell you this now because that woman," Shelby was planted in her spot. "kicked me off the fucking team! Over some stupid shit!" Another beat. He had the crowd in his grasp. "So, it's time you all heard the truth… about our… this team."

"Someone get him off the stage!" the director said again, this time louder. "_NOW!"_

All of a sudden, it became complete chaos. The audience were on the their feet and the people on stage were pushing and shoving each other. Some were trying to get off the stage, while others were trying to get to the front to see all the action as security guards lunged towards Jesse and yanked him off the stage.

Shelby was frozen. She could not believe that Jesse St. James would stoop so low. He was not banished from the team. She never said that, yet he decided to ruin her entire career as a teacher. She was aware that her rehearsals were extremely demanding, the woman didn't think that it was such a crime. There was nothing to hide. Shelby had that kind of status that if you said, _"I did Glee Club in high school and my coach was Shelby Corcoran,_" No one had to explain anything further. All of that was ruined… crushed because Jesse was _her_ responsibility.

Shelby saw Karen stride to the front of the stage.

"Everyone, silent!" her voice echoed throughout the auditorium. That woman had a pair of lungs. "This is over. Vocal Adrenaline, congratulations on your win. There's nothing else to see."

Slowly, audience members began to exit the theater, quietly whispering to each other and slightly glancing over their shoulders.

"Congratulations, really, you all deserve this." There were a few thank yous and nodding of heads. "Now, I do not know what the hell is going on, but someone better start talking. I don't want this to become something big, if we can avoid it. I've already got a lot on my plate."

Karen turned towards the only people left standing on the stage, Vocal Adrenaline and Shelby Corcoran. She sighed lightly as she put her hands on her hips.

"Anyone? I don't bite." No one spoke up because no one knew what was going on. "Cut the crap. Someone speak up or I will make sure Vocal Adrenaline will not perform for a while."

Someone spoke up. It was Shelby.

"I think that…" she scanned her student's eyes. "I think that I have an idea what might have sparked this."

"Go on," Karen urged.

"As you heard so loud and clear from Jesse, I dismissed him from the team… from Nationals." A beat. "Jesse broke the rules," Shelby decided to leave it a bit vague. "He broke the rules and he… and I made the decision to… well, you know." Karen nodded. "Jesse was furious… and I guess… well, he…"

Shelby was interrupted when she heard a small familiar voice. Rachel. She groaned. Not now, she thought to herself. _Not now._

"Mom!" Rachel cried as she darted towards the woman.

Shelby bit her lip. The questioning glances she got from Vocal Adrenaline did not go unmissed.

"Hey, sweetie." Shelby said softly into the girl's ear as she gave her a hug. "Can you do mo- me a big favor and go back to your father's?" Rachel didn't move. "I will be right there. I just need to take care of some grown up things."

Rachel pulled from Shelby's arms. She hated when adults treated her like a baby. It wasn't adorable, but the girl gave in. Rachel nodded and quickly left the theatre.

Karen turned to face Vocal Adrenaline.

"Once again, congratulations, all of you. You are all free to go. This is not your fault." No one moved. "Go!"

Everyone snapped back into focus and darted out of room, wondering what was going to happen, if they should go back to their hotel room or if they were allowed to go out and explore New York City.

Shelby bit her lip. She knew what was coming. Jesse was going to get what he wanted.

"Karen-" the woman tired to say.

"No, Shelby Corcoran, this is _your_ fault, not your team! While you might have banned Jesse St. James from the team from this competition, he is still _your _responsibility!" said Karen McMullen, the director. "Furthermore, I am banning you from coaching Vocal Adrenaline until we have looked into your case more."

Shelby held back tears. She knew it.

"Shelby, I also believe that you are not mentally stable to continue to coach this team, and judging by that little girl who just called you 'mom'… you have a lot on your plate and right now, this should not be your priority."

Did this woman actually have the authority to do this? Shelby thought to herself. She probably did. This woman had a million connections. She was sure the news of Jesse's show already made it to the principle back at Carmel. And, it was probably on YouTube and Twitter and whatever teens used these days occupied their time with.

"Shelby," Karen said, this time more softly. "I'm sorry, but… from a mother to a mother… you need this break. You are extremely talented and you have a good eye. No one will forget that,"

"More like no one will forget how my career went down the drain," Shelby mumbled.

"That may be," Karen said honestly. "But, I'm doing this for many reasons, some I have already addressed. I don't want this little fiasco to be a big deal… well; at least, I'm going to try..." Silence.

"I… I have to go," Shelby said and with that, she sped off, to find Rachel.

Karen stood on the stage by self.

"Ma'am" a voice said. "We need to strip the set,"

"Of course," Karen said. She nodded and exited stage left.

….

When Shelby went to find Rachel, she wasn't there. No one was. It was like a ghost town. Shelby sighed. She picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number.

"_Shelby?"  
_"Where are you?"  
_"I'm at the hotel where you are staying,"  
_"Is Rachel…"  
_"She's okay, they are all okay… a little shook up and, I'm sure regretting this, but we are safe." _A beat. _"When are you coming back to the hotel?"  
_"I'm leaving right now. I just had to take care of a few things." Another beat.  
_"Are you okay?"  
_"Yes… well, no."  
_"Do you want to talk about it?"  
_"Not right now, but eventually."  
_"Okay, well… I guess I'll see you soon?"  
_"Yeah, see you soon."  
"_Wait… Shelby?"  
_"Yeah?"  
_"I just thought I'd let you know…. all those crazy loons, and by loons, I'm talking about the parents," _Shelby let out a small laugh. _"they will be staying the night too and will be taking a Red Eye back to Ohio in the morning."  
_"Why are you telling me this?"  
_"I've booked you a flight home too… with Leroy, Rachel, and me." _Silence. _"And Vocal Adrenaline."  
_"You really didn't have to do that. We already had a bus-"  
_"I know… but I just thought that it would be an easier ride home…plus… I know that you would probably want some time alone with Rachel."_  
"How are you?"  
_"What?"_  
"How are you? I mean… you must be hurting…or something…"  
_"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. It's nothing I can't handle… plus, I think I'm starting to remember things. It's fuzzy, but I know it's there…. I'm just… worr- Leroy is the one who really needs to rest his body."  
_"Well, I hope he has something that will knock him out."  
_"Already taken care of," _A beat.  
"Hiram?"  
_"Yes, Shelby?"  
_"Thank you."  
_"Of course, Shelby. Anything for you."_

…..

Quinn groaned as she heard her mother's alarm going off next to her. How many times had she hit the snooze button? She glanced at the clock. 4:00. No, too early. What time was their flight?

"Quinn," the small blonde's eyes shot open. "get up." It was her mother.

Quinn jumped out of bed. She didn't want to make her mother mad. She watched as her mother's applied her makeup. Her mother always wore too much make up… probably to hide all those wrinkles. It was like a mask.

"Now, I know that, that wonderful officer… Officer Bentley, told you your punishments the other night, but I didn't get to tell you _my _punishment for _you_." Quinn gulped as she swayed a few feet away from her mother. "To start, no cell phone… for a month. You will go to school, you will got to Cheerios, and you will come home. You will do your homework and you will go to bed. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You will do chores for me around the house and you will not be allowed to go out on the weekends for two months."Quinn opened her mouth, but her mother held her bony finger up. "This is not up for debate, Quinn Nicole Fabray." Her voice was ice cold. "Just be happy, this is all you are getting. And, if you fail to listen…"

A light knock interrupted her speak. Thank god, Quinn thought as she tried to hold tears back._ Breathe_, she had to herself. She knew what she did was wrong; she wasn't going to deny that. She just… she wanted to get away… from life… from her mother… and this was the consequence.

"Sorry to interrupt," it was Hiram. "just want to let you two girls know we are leaving in about thirty to catch our plane. I want to be a little early; TSA can be a real hassle."

Quinn made eye contact with Hiram for a split second and quickly averted her eyes. Hiram nodded and closed the door.

"Mom," she said.

"Not now, Quinn," Judy said as she smacked her lips together after applying lipstick.

"Mom, I'm sorry," Quinn said through tears.

"Sorry isn't going to be enough this time, Quinn." Judy spat.

…

"Kurt," Burt said lightly as he squeezed his son's hand. "Kurt, wake up." Kurt moved a little bit. "Come on; open your eyes for me… I know it's early."

Kurt slipped his hand from his father's grasp and ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm up," he mumbled.

"We need to leave soon," Burt said. "Be ready to leave in about thirty." Burt got up from the edge of the bed and lightly kissed his son on the temple.

"Dad," Kurt said. His eyes were now open and he was staring at his father. "Dad, I'm… I'm sorry,"

"Hey," the father said as he walked back to his son. "I know you are, okay? You are in trouble, but we will talk more when we get home, okay?" He patted his son on the leg.

Kurt nodded and sat up and sighed. He wasn't too happy hearing what he would have to do as a result of driving off to New York City, but he was lucky. No one got hurt, physically.

The boy slipped out of bed and went to wash up in the bathroom. It felt unreal. He was just waiting for his father to scream at him, but, then again, his father never did that. When Kurt did something he wasn't supposed to do, Burt didn't yell.

…

Rachel slowly opened her eyes. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom. She didn't remember getting to the hotel. It was all a blur. She just remembered waiting forever, waiting for Shelby to appear.

"_Come on, sweetie,"_ Hiram had said. _"Let's go back to the hotel. I'm sure that's where she is._"

She wasn't, but Rachel was happy to get to be in a bed. She dreamed of falling asleep in Shelby's arms, listening to her soothing voice.

"Rach?" Rachel turned her head towards the voice. "Time to get up, sweetie."

"Dad," Rachel said. She could feel tears prick the corner of her eyes. "I'm… I'm so sorry. I'm-"

Hiram pulled the girl into his arms.

"I know, sweetie, I know,"

Rachel untangled herself from Hiram's arms when she heard the shower being turned off. She waited patiently for Leroy to get out of the shower.

When he opened the door, Rachel straightened her back.

"Daddy," she began to say. "daddy, I'm sorry." She couldn't look him in the eyes… saying sorry was hard enough.

Leroy kissed her on the head.

"I know." he gave her shoulder a squeeze and walked past her.

"You're mad," she mumbled.

Leroy turned around

"Yes, Rachel, we are mad." He said, trying to remain calm. "It was selfish and foolish of you to think you would get away with this!" Rachel backed off. All she wanted to do was apologize. "But, I don't want to discuss this right now. Just ready to leave soon, okay?"

Rachel nodded and slipped into the bathroom. It was warm and there was still fog on the mirror. The girl leaned forward to wipe some of the fog off the mirror. She looked at herself in the mirror and put her had to her gold star necklace and squeezed her eyes shut.

….

Shelby Corcoran was staring at the ceiling. She didn't remember falling asleep, or if she get any sleep at all. She glanced at the clock. It was early and all she wanted to do was sleep, but she had to get up. She had to face the day; hiding from it all just wasn't an option.

The woman walked into the bathroom and grimaced when she saw her appearance. It was frightening. She sighed and turned the faucet on to splash some cold water on her face.

As she was drying her face, she absentmindedly felt for her gold star necklace and smiled to herself. Just thinking about Rachel made her so happy. Maybe Karen was right, maybe this was meant to be, her and Rachel.

….

It was almost eight in the morning and everyone had made it to the airport, got their luggage checked, and make it through TSA. It was a mad dash, but everyone was on the plane. There was tension in the air and no one seemed to want to talk.

Quinn and Judy were sitting by themselves and Kurt and his father were sitting with Rachel and her dads. Shelby was off to the side, but in perfect view of Vocal Adrenaline. She knew they all had questions. She had not had a chance to talk to them. _When we get back home_, the woman thought to herself, _is when I will talk to them_.

"Miss. Corcoran?" a voice said.

Shelby opened her eyes. They were already in the air. How long have I been sleeping? She wondered.

"Miss. Corcoran," Lexi said again as she sat in the empty seat next to Shelby. "I just want to say… thank you."

"For what?" Shelby asked as she sat up straighter.

"For giving me the chance to perform… it was… it was a feeling like no other." Lexi played with the hem of her dress. "Just… thank you,"

"Of course, Lexi," Shelby said gently. "You were phenomenal out there and I know I will be seeing more from you in the future."Silence. The woman could tell Lexi didn't just come to her to say thank you, she also wanted to know about the little girl. "Her name is Rachel,"

"What?" Lexi asked. "I…"

"That girl who called me 'mom' her name is Rachel and she is my daughter."

"She looked just like you… she's beautiful."

"She really is." A beat. "I just… I don't want to screw this up."

"If it means anything," Lexi began to say. "You are already a terrific mother. Any child would be lucky to have you as a mother."

"Thank you, Lexi." Shelby said. "That means a lot."

Lexi nodded and got up to go back to her seat

…..

Shelby fidgeted in her seat. She still had not had a chance to speak to Rachel. When was there going to be a good time? Now was the best time to talk to the girl. The woman got up from her seat and found Rachel. The girl was sleeping and had her head resting on Hiram's shoulder. Thankfully, Leroy was passed out. He finally gave in and took pain meds to ease his pain that he had been trying to fight off.

The woman took Rachel's hand and squeezed it.

"Rachel?" the woman whispered.

"Mmm," Rachel mumbled.

"Rachel, it's me,"

The girl opened her eyes and smiled.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Can we talk?" Shelby asked.

Rachel nodded, got up from her seat, and followed Shelby.

Shelby took Rachel's hand again when they were seated comfortably.

"Rachel," Shelby began. "I want you to be honest with me, okay?" Rachel nodded. "Why did you leave your competition without telling your fathers?" A beat. "Was it because Quinn and Kurt pressured you to?" The girl shook her head. "Rachel, please… I just want to try to understand why you did what you did. I know how much that competition meant for you."

Rachel took a deep breath. She had been waiting to get this off her chest, but there was no way in hell she was going to talk to her father's. The person she needed the most was sitting right in front of her and the girl was so thankful for that.

"I…" the girl looked down at her hands. "I… it's just that… yeah, the competition was really important for me… I wanted to make my dad's proud… and you, but…" she licked her lips. She was trying desperately to choose her words wisely. "It's… my father's… Leroy in particular… I…"

What Rachel wanted to say was that she left because she wanted to… she wanted to challenge Leroy. He was so horrible to her and all Rachel wanted to do was to… not get back… but fight back. Rachel shook her head. She wasn't making sense in her head. While she wanted so desperately to make her dads proud, it wasn't enough. She knew it wouldn't be enough. So, when Quinn and Kurt showed up, Rachel was torn. It was a dangerous idea, but she went with it. She liked the idea of running away; being free from all the disappointing looks Leroy gave her and all the pressure. It also gave her a chance to see her mother.

"Rach?"

"I… I don't know. This is going to sound horrible… but… I left because I wanted to just… I needed to get away. I felt like… I felt like I was drowning on land. Is that even possible?" she scoffed. "I needed air and space… I knew… I know what I did was wrong, but I felt free." Rachel squeezed her mother's hand. "And… I was happy that I was going to see you and not going away from you,"

The woman nodded. It was all starting to make sense. Leroy seemed to have a pretty tight leash on Rachel. Shelby was just happy that Rachel was talking to her, despite the fact that they just reconnected. This was something Rachel definitely would not have been able to talk about with her father's.

"Now," Rachel spoke up. "I am being grounded for the rest of my life on top of all this other crap... stuff… I have to do." Shelby raised her eyebrow. "But," Rachel said quickly. "I deserve it and I… I will serve all my community service hours and take the needed classes."

Shelby nodded in approval and pulled the girl into a hug.

"Good girl," the two sat in silence. "You should… you should probably go back to your seat. I don't want your father's to think you have run off again,"

"No!" Rachel said quickly. "No. Can I… can I just stay here for the rest of the flight?"

"Of course, sweetie." Shelby said gently. If Rachel wanted to stay with her, she wasn't going to stop her.

Shelby began to lightly sing to Rachel, a song of far off places and sweet dreams.

_Oh the sun is surely sinking down  
But the moon is slowly rising  
So this old world must still be spinning 'round  
And I still love you_

_So close your eyes  
You can close your eyes, it's all right  
I don't know no love songs  
And I can't sing the blues anymore  
But I can sing this song  
And you can sing this song when I'm gone…._

…

Shelby woke with a jolt. "Thank you for flying with us today. We hope you enjoyed your flight." The woman sat up. Rachel was still in her arms.

"Rach," the woman said quietly. "We're here, sweetie."

"Mom?" Rachel asked as he rubbed her eyes.

"That's me," Shelby said with a smile.

"There you are," a new voice said. It was Hiram. "Shelby, can I ask you a huge favor?" the woman nodded. "Would you mind watching Rachel for the night? I'm going to take Leroy back to the hospital-"

"Is dad okay?" Rachel asked worriedly as she sat a little straighter.

"Yes, sweetie, he is fine. I just want a doctor to check him out. His body took quite a beating. Don't worry, okay? I'll call you tonight."

The girl nodded. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She was going to get to spend another night with Shelby.

"Of course, Hiram," Shelby said with a smile. "I would be more than happy to watch her,"

"You sure?" Hiram asked. "I know you have a lot-"

"Hiram," Shelby said gently. "It's okay." The woman looked down at her daughter and smiled. "Thank you,"

"You're welcome, Shelby," Hiram said. "Thank you," He patted Rachel on the leg. "Say goodbye before you leave, okay?" the girl nodded.

Hiram made his way back to his seat as people were beginning to get their luggage from the overhead compartments. He sat back in his seat for a beat and smiled. Yes, Leroy might be upset, but he was sure he could convince him that his check up was needed.

….

"Bye dad, bye daddy!" Rachel said to her father's as she stood on her tippy toes to hug her father's goodbye.

"Bye, Rach," Hiram said as he planted a kiss on forehead. "Have fun,"

"I will, dad" Rachel said.

"See you tomorrow, Rachel." Leroy said. He stood up and shook Shelby's hand. "Shelby,"

"Goodbye, Leroy," Shelby said. She turned around to see her students gathered, waiting for their parents to pick them up. She nodded towards the two men and walked towards her students.

"Can I have everyone's attention, please?" She waited until all eyes were on her. "First of all, I want to congratulate all of you!" she said brightly. "You all deserved first place and it was no surprise when they allowed our team." A few people let out a cheer. "Now, as some of you didn't know, I have a daughter." A beat. "I want you to know that I wasn't trying to hide anything from you because that is not the case at all. I knew I had Rachel... that she was mine, I just… I didn't know where she was because I gave her up for adoption. t wasn't until last week when I ran into her..." the woman sighed. "I was not expecting Rachel to show up… and Jesse." The woman pushed her tongue against the inside of her mouth. "And, because of Jesse's little… outburst… I have been asked to resign."

"What?" Nicole cried out. "No, no way! Shelby," she stepped towards the woman. "Shelby, we need you!"

The woman put a hand up.

"I understand that some of you might be upset or maybe even confused, but I took it into consideration and… and I am going to step down, for good."

Everyone began to start talking at once.

"Everyone, please," Shelby said as she tried get everyone's attention. "None of this is your fault. It's mine. Jesse was my responsibility, even though I did not allow him to compete the other day." She sighed. "That, and with my new reconnection with Rachel… I need some time think things through."

"But, Shelby," Lexi said. "who is going to coach us? Are you sure… are you sure you're not coming back?"

"Yes, Lexi," Shelby said. "right now, I do not plan to come back," she held her hand up. "Don't get me wrong, I will still support you guys 150% and I will be at every competition and performance. I will even try to stop during rehearsals and lend my advice." The woman scanned everyone's face. "I have a few ideas of who your new coach will be, but I do not want to say… right now." A beat. "You all need a break. Take the rest of the weekend to rest."

"We're going to miss you," Nicole said quietly.

"This isn't goodbye for good," Shelby said. "And I'm so incredibly sorry it has to end this way." A beat. "I don't want you all to be sad… be happy because you won and be happy because you are here and what you have accomplished so far." The woman wrapped her arm around Lexi. "I expect you all to be on your best behavior when your new coach shows up… am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am" a few people mumbled.

"Good, now, can I have a hug goodbye?" the woman asked.

The entire team all huddled together. Some were wiping tears away from their eyes. It was sad and also a bit weird… you don't see a large group of student's huddled together and crying outside an airport every day.

Finally, Shelby pulled from the group and wiped from tears away from her eyes.

"Everyone, please, be safe and keep in touch!"

…..

Shelby waited patiently as Rachel said goodbye to her friends.

"Shelby," Hiram said as Leroy was just getting into the cab. "Rachel may be staying with you for the night, but she is still grounded."

"Noted," Shelby said with a smirk.

"Great, thanks again," Hiram said as he gave the woman's hand a quick squeeze. "I'll talk to you later, Shelby.,"

"Bye, Kurt," Rachel said. "I'm sorry,"

"Hey," the boy said. "this is not your fault, okay?" the girl nodded. "just stick out your chin and-"

"Kurt!" Rachel said as she gave the boy a playful shove. "Now's not the time to quote Annie."

"Just trying to lighten the mood," Kurt said as he put his hands up defensively.

"Kurt!" Burt called out. "Let's go,"

Kurt turned to face Rachel. "So, I guess I'll see you around?" Rachel nodded and hugged the boy goodbye.

"Rachel," Quinn called out.

"Hey," Rachel said as she stepped towards the blonde. "Quinn, I just want to say-"

"No," Quinn said. "don't apologize… this is my fault and I should have been the responsible one… and now… now we are all grounded for eternity."

"Quinn," Rachel said louder. "Thank you."

"What?"

"Yes, our stunt was dangerous, but thank you… I needed… it was just nice to… you know, get out… and plus, now I get to spend the night with Shelby,"

"Well, I guess… you're welcome?"

Rachel hugged the blonde.

"Quinn," Judy said coldly.

"I… I have to go," Quinn said hurriedly. Rachel watched as the girl darted towards her mother.

"You ready to go?" Shelby asked as she interrupted Rachel's thoughts.

"Yup," Rachel said.

The girl followed her mother to the cab. The two climbed in and Rachel whipped out her phone to text. Her grounding did not apply while she was with Shelby, right?

"Rachel," Shelby said as he held her hand out.

Rachel gave the woman a confused look. After a beat she high fived her mother. High five? Okay? The woman still kept her hand out.

"What?" Rachel asked innocently. She honestly didn't know why her mother had her hand out.

"Rachel, phone."

"What? MOM! That's not fair!"

The woman gently pulled the phone from Rachel's hand.

"Give that back! I just need to quickly text-"

"No," Shelby said sternly. "remember, you're grounded. Besides, who could you possibly need to text? I'm sure Kurt and Quinn had their phones confiscated too."

Rachel sat back in her seat with her mouth wide open. This wasn't fair! Wasn't Shelby supposed to be fun? She crossed her arms and looked out the window.

Shelby smirked and reached for her daughter's hand, but Rachel pulled it away.

"I'm not talking to you," Rachel said with defiance.

"Oh, the silent treatment?" Shelby challenged. Rachel didn't respond. Shelby wondered how long Rachel would keep up with that.

**A/N: Thank you, again. Again, I do realize that many of the things I put in this story are inaccurate, but I still hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Also, just a reminder, I am leaving for vacation, but I will try my best to get a chapter out while I am gone or at least have one ready to post the minute I get home. Thank you for all the support! Sorry for any typos! Any ideas on who the new coach will be? (;**


	9. Chapter 9

elphieistheshiz - Idina did not say much about the new musical she is working on. She did say; however, that she wanted to keep all the details a secret out of respect for the creators and composers and everyone else involved. Judy is witch. Quinn's storyline will unfold soon, but not so much in this chapter. I don't want to have too much going on at once. Thank you so much for reviewing!

Holly Rosslyn - Jesse will definitely have it coming for him. He never thinks, at all. Judy's behavior is suspicious and her relationship with Quinn will unfold soon. Thank you for reviewing!

Mona Mari - Jesse is an ass. Let's just hope he can turn his attitude around! Thank you so much for reviewing!

sillystarshine - Thanks so much for reviewing! This chapter will be jam packed with Rachel/Shelby scenes!

caseyrn12 - Your instincts are on the right track. Judy is off and the other parents certainly did not miss the way she spoke to Quinn. Quinn's whole story and her relationship with her family will start to unfold. I don't want to throw her entire story out there all at once right now because so much is already happening. Yes, Rachel thought she was going to have it easy while she stayed with Shelby... I would too! Shelby will confront Jesse soon; she is not finished with that boy. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

majestic seahorse - We will definitely see more of Jesse! I love all your ideas; we seem to be on the same page with where some of these characters are headed! Thank you for reviewing!

MackenizieJayne - Rachel wants so badly to stand up to Leroy. Shelby will talk to her about that in this chapter. Rachel is young, vulnerable, and sensitive, so it's difficult for her to do so. The parents saw the way Judy talked to Quinn and they will take action. Thank you for reviewing!

sdmwd1115 - Shelby wants to be a mommy and is so thankful that Hiram is allowing her take care of Rachel. Thank you for reviewing!

Sally - Wow! Thank you so much for your in depth review! I really appreciate it! Quinn's relationship is definitely not like Burt and Kurt's, but she is not alone and she will have help very soon. Rachel's relationship with Leroy will be discussed a lot in this chapter. Shelby is on it and wants to try to see what's going on in Rachel's head. Hiram is my favorite too, though he might cause some trouble later on. Shelby is definitely not finished with Vocal Adrenaline, she'll be back, but right now, she wants to focus on her daughter. Thank you, again! My vacation was great, but I'm glad to be back home and sleeping in my bed.

Gleeks09 - Thank you so much for your kind words, it means a lot! Idina Menzel is wonderful and I am so excited that she will be in a new animated Disney movie!

dolphindreams16 - Thank you for reviewing! I tried to get this chapter out not long after I got back from vacation.

Anon - Thank you so much!

Anon - Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Rachel's true character will show in this chapter. It's hard to always walk around with a show face.

Janie - Thank you so much for your review! Quinn and Kurt's storyline will come into play very soon!

Guest - Thank you for reading and reviewing! My vacation was relaxing, but near the end, all I wanted to do was get out a new chapter for all of you!

Dorothy - Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you are enjoying this. I'm always worried that I'm not being consistent with characters and plotlines; it's all kind of trial and error.

Anon - Thank you for reading and reviewing!

**Thank you all so much for your patience and reviews and all the alerts. It is very encouraging. Thank you.**

**I'm back from vacation and I had a great time, but I was ready to come home. I got to see family that I haven't seen in over three years, including all my little cousins, and I got some serious pool time in.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I didn't want to make you all wait much longer. Please let me know what you think. This chapter is heavily Shelby/Rachel focused.**

By the time Shelby and Rachel had stopped by the Berry's house to pack an overnight bag for Rachel, the girl was talking a mile a minute. Shelby smiled to herself as she listened to Rachel talk about her plans to audition for Glee Club and how she already had her acceptance speech planned out when she wins a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical. The woman knew Rachel would not be able to remain silent. Of course, Rachel whined about not being able to use her phone, but Shelby was persistent and did not cave in.

Teenagers these days were constantly glued to their phones. It disgusted Shelby seeing girls as young as ten with iPhones, or cell phones in general. It was hard to have a decent conversation with one of her students without them getting distracted with Twitter or Instagraming a picture or texting multiple people at once. It didn't seem right, but it was a new era and it was inevitable for one to be without a phone. The woman was just blown away by what those iPhones could do.

The cab finally pulled into Shelby's driveway. It was almost 5 in the afternoon by that point. "Thank you," Shelby said to the driver as she got out of the car and paid the driver. The man nodded and drove off.

The woman turned to Rachel. "Are you planning on coming in, or were you thinking of camping outside?"

Rachel smiled to herself as she lugged her bag over her shoulder. "You're being ridiculous. Of course I am coming in. If I stayed out here, the humidity could do some serious damage to my vocal chords."

Rachel followed Shelby into the house. The girl took in a deep breath. She loved the smell of her mother's house. The girl couldn't quite explain the smell, but it was homey and welcoming. Rachel walked in the direction of the guest bedroom. She didn't have to be told twice where it was. When the girl had stayed here last time, she made sure to remember every inch of her mother's house, that way, when she went back home, she would be able to picture it when she closed her eyes.

"Do you want something to eat?" Shelby asked as she stuck her head into the guest bedroom. "You must be starving."

The girl only shrugged her shoulders as she unpacked a few things. She wasn't that hungry. She had, had some snacks on the plane, which was enough to satisfy her appetite for the time being.

"No?" Shelby asked. "I find that hard to believe." The woman stood in the doorway for a beat, hoping that Rachel would change her mind and admit that she was hungry. Surely, a few bags of pretzels and soda did not fill the girl up.

"I'm really not that hungry," Rachel said. "really."

"Well, at least come into the kitchen and keep me company while I get dinner ready," Shelby replied. The woman walked into the kitchen. "So, it is a bit early for dinner, but I was thinking... how about we have an early dinner and maybe watch a movie? Or go out for dessert? What do you think?" A beat. "Rachel?" The older woman called out. The girl was still in her room.

Rachel was reluctant to leave her room. She really just watched to relax. Traveling really took a lot out of a person. What else was she supposed to do? She couldn't use her phone and she was certain that Kurt and Quinn were grounded for eternity. Rachel shrugged and left her room.

"That sounds like a great idea," Rachel said as she got onto a stool at the island in the kitchen.

"Which part?" Shelby asked. "The dinner... movie..."

"All of it," Rachel said with a smile.

Shelby returned the smile, but something told her that Rachel wasn't really here and that she was just saying yes to make her happy. The woman would honestly be happy doing whatever the girl wanted.

"Do you want to do something else?" Shelby looked at the time. "It's still early..."

"No, really, I like your original plan," Rachel said interrupting Shelby.

"Okay," Shelby said as she washed her hands. "I was thinking of something easy... say... pasta?"

"Can you cook?" Rachel asked.

Shelby opened her mouth in shock. That girl had some nerve! "Yes, I can cook! …I mean, I'm not the best cook, but..."

"Because, if you..." Rachel paused. "If you don't feel like cooking... because I know that you're probably really tired from traveling and all and I don't want you to have to do more work than you need to... we could order out... or something."

"I would love to do that... really, Rachel, I am flexible to do whatever. Pizza and a movie sounds perfect."

"Really? Okay, great! Thanks!"

"Of course, sweetie. Do you want to eat now?"

Geez, all these questions. "I guess... we could order the pizza now and just heat it up whenever we are ready to eat... I suspect the pizza place might be busy tonight, with it being a Saturday and all."

"Good idea, Rach. Why don't you pick out a movie from over there and I'll order the pizza."

Rachel walked over to her mother's DVD collection. The girl scanned all the movies, looking for anything musical related or Barbra. The woman's collection was impressive: Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Rent, Funny Girl, The Way We Were, Hair, The Wizard of Oz, Singin' in the Rain, Hello, Dolly!, Grease, and so on. Shelby also had many classic movies, movies that, even though Rachel was probably too young to watch, had seen and loved. Shawshank Redemption, To Kill a Mockingbird, Slumdog Millionaire, A Time to Kill, the list went on and on. Rachel sighed and reached for Rent. The girl had seen this hundreds of times, but it never got old.

"Rent?" Shelby asked behind Rachel.

The girl nodded. "Unless, you had another movie in mind."

"No, I love Rent." the woman exclaimed. "I haven't seen this in ages."

"Have you ever seen it on Broadway?" Rachel asked anxiously. The girl had Rent on her must see musicals before she dies list. The list was getting long and by this point, Rachel would probably have to rob a bank to get enough money to see every single show on the list.

"I did," Shelby said as she sat as she sat next to the girl. "It was one of the best musicals I have ever seen."

Rachel nodded.

"Rach, are you okay?" Shelby asked.

"Of course. Do I look like I'm not okay?"

"To be honest, you don't look okay. You seem... off."

"Well, I'm fine... just tired and whatever."

"Sweetie, if you're tired, we can hold off on watching a movie. We can always do it another time."

"No! No, I don't want to go to sleep!" Rachel was beginning to get worked up. She was fine! "I just... I'm tired, but that isn't going to stop me from being able to hang out with you!"

"Okay, okay." Shelby said lightly. She didn't want to push Rachel anymore. "I just want to keep all our options open." A beat. "The pizza should be here in about twenty minutes. So, why don't we start the movie?"

The girl nodded and handed her mother the DVD. Rachel climbed onto the couch while the woman put the DVD into the player and pressed play.

The two sat in silence for a beat as the previews began to play. Shelby wanted to talk to Rachel about her father's and what was going to happen. As far as Shelby was concerned, Hiram was onboard and more than willing to allow Shelby to be a part of Rachel's life; however, it was Leroy who worried Shelby. The woman wanted to know why Rachel didn't stand up for herself. She understood that Leroy was frightening, at times, and much taller, but he was Rachel's father. The girl should not have trouble talking to him, even if she had a little help from Hiram. If Rachel just spoke up and explained that she too, wanted to get to know Shelby, then maybe Leroy would be more willing to allow it to happen.

On the other hand, through her years of working with Vocal Adrenaline, Shelby saw that teenagers struggled with finding themselves and she saw that their confidence could be beaten down in a matter of seconds. The woman just wasn't expecting this to be such a problem with Rachel now, at this age. She was still young and had nothing to be ashamed of. She was beautiful and easy to love.

Shelby turned her attention to Rachel, who had her eyes trained forward. The woman opened her mouth to speak, but shut it when the doorbell rang.

"That must be the pizza," Shelby said pressing pause and then getting up from the couch.

Rachel watched her mother as she answered the door. The girl needed someone to talk to. Shelby. She could talk to her. She was her mother, for that matter. Rachel couldn't talk to her father's. They just didn't see eye to eye all the time. They were great fathers. They were there to pick her up when she fell off her bike and they were there, cheering her on during her first ballet recital. Rachel had to admit, she was intimidated by them, at times. She felt as though they would never understand her. No one seemed to understand her. The girl felt as though her height was a contributing factor to the way people treated her.

Yes, she knew she was short and people didn't let her forget that. If only… if only she was a few inches taller maybe, just maybe people would take her seriously and treat her as though she were thirteen and not her shoe size.

What Rachel wanted to tell her fathers, for starters, was that she didn't want to dance anymore. She wanted to sing. She was sure that they wouldn't approve. The girl also wanted to talk to someone to try to figure out what was going on in her head because, honestly, she didn't understand what was going on. She was angry and then she was sad, for no apparent reason. The girl felt as though something was wrong and that if she hung around other people, she would infect them with her negativity. To try to prevent that, Rachel walked around with a 100-watt smile and a bubbly personality. It was tiring and at the end of the day, all she wanted to do was curl under her covers and cry.

"Smells good!" Shelby said as she placed the pizza in front of them and two plates. "I don't know about you, but I am starving!"

"Me too!" Rachel said with a smile as she reached for a slice of pizza.

Shelby pressed play and the two fell back into silence as the movie began.

_Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes,_  
_Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes moments so dear._  
_Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes_  
_How do you measure, measure a year?_

…...

"You are being absolutely ridiculous, Hiram," Leroy said firmly. "I do not need to go back to the hospital; a nurse will be here tonight to check on us, we are fine. I am fine!"

"You are not fine and you are stubborn, just like Rachel." Hiram said as he signed Leroy in.

"You are not fine, too! Why aren't you checking yourself in?" Leroy argued.

"I am," Hiram said. "I just want to make sure our little trip to NYC didn't do any more damage to our bodies."

The man sat next to Leroy and hardened his face and patted Leroy on the leg. "Now, do you want to tell me what's up?

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, why are you being such a jerk?" Hiram held his hand up to stop Leroy from speaking. "Don't. You know it and I know it. You are being a complete ass to your daughter and to Shelby and to me and to all those parents. Yes, I know that you said you do not want Shelby being in Rachel's life, we all heard you, loud and clear, and I get that I can't really remember anything, but it's coming back in bits and pieces. But, regardless, whether you want Shelby or not, she is here and she is here for good." Hiram paused, but Leroy was not responding. "Leroy," he took his hand. "I am trying to understand. Do you just not like the woman? Is it... is it a grudge?"

Leroy sat up and shook his hand. Tears began to prick his eyes. "No... well, yes and no. I like her, but I don't." Hiram nodded. "It's just that..." Leroy pressed his tongue against the inside of his mouth. "I just... I'm afraid that if... I'm afraid that if I... if we let Shelby back into our lives, I'm afraid that... that she is going to take Rachel away from us."

Hiram sat up, in shock. There it was and he definitely did not see that coming. Hiram so desperately wanted to remember everything about Leroy, but nothing was coming back. He wanted to know how to comfort Leroy or what it would take to see him smiling and laughing again. The last memory he had was of him staying at home with Shelby. He was sketching her for an upcoming art show.

_"Shelby, you know, it's really difficult to sketch you if you keep moving. Please, just stay still for a little longer."_

_"Hiram, I have been in this position for almost an hour, no one, and I mean no one, would be able to stay still."_

_"Shelby, please, just a few more minutes. I am almost finished. Besides, that isn't a difficult pose."_

_"Fine,"_

_The woman was getting sore and antsy, but she had to give the man credit. He was a fabulous artist and she had felt horrible when she missed his art show. When the men had returned home, the woman apologized profusely. Hiram, being the amazing man he was, blew it off and did not hold a grudge. He simply just said that he understood and that there would be more art shows. He was right and, right now, Hiram was working on a new piece. This time, his concentration was women and children. His inspiration: Mary Cassatt._

_"There," Hiram said as he stepped back from the easel. "Finished. Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"_

_Shelby got up from her seat and stretched. It wasn't that bad._

_"Can I see?" She asked._

_Hiram stepped aside. Shelby's mouth opened in complete awe. What Hiram captured wasn't just her and her pregnant stomach, but more. The lines and colors told a story. Shelby leaned closer to the piece. Her face, told another story. It showed fear and happiness and loss, of what Shelby would be losing. The woman's hands were holding her stomach, as though it was a child. The intricate lines in Shelby's dress looked like an infant, curled on her side and sucking her thumb, her eyes closed._

_Shelby squeezed her eyes closed. "This is stunning... just absolutely breathtaking."_

_"Thank you," Hiram said._

Hiram was pulled from his memory when Dr. Drummand called out their names. Hiram turned to Leroy and took his hand again, "I just want to make sure you are okay. I care about you."

"What would I do without you?" Leroy asked as reluctantly sat up and made eye contact with the doctor.

Hiram smirked. "What I do without _you?_"

_Without you, the ground thaws, the rain falls, the grow grows._  
_Without you, the seeds root, the flowers bloom, the children play._  
_The stars gleam, the poets dream, the eagles fly, without you._  
_The earth turns, the sun burns, but I die, without you._  
_Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash._  
_The crowd roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you._  
_The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you..._

Shelby turned to face Rachel. The tiny brunette had tears rolling down her cheeks that were falling onto her lap.

"Rach?" Shelby asked as she pulled the tiny girl into her arms.

Rachel used the back of her hand to brush some tears away. "I'm fine," she sniffed. "It's just that... I cry every time I see this movie."

"You know, sweetie," Shelby said as she handed Rachel a tissue. "It's okay to not be okay."

"What?" Rachel asked as she bit her lip.

Shelby picked up the remote and pressed paused. She then pulled Rachel closer. "What I am saying is that you're not okay, Rachel. I can tell something is off. You're not your happy self right now and I can tell that something is bothering you." A beat. "Sweetie... I'm not... I don't want to force you to talk, but I think it would help. I'm here and I am not going anywhere."

The girl leaned closer into her mother and fiddled with a ring that was on her mother's index finger. She wanted to talk; she just didn't know where to start or how to start. She had been waiting for this moment to talk to someone other than her fathers, but now... but now that she had the opportunity, right in front of her face, why did she want to shy away?

"Do you remember when you told me you would help me... coach me on singing?"

"Of course I remember that, sweetie." Shelby said gently as she brushed some of Rachel's hair away.

"Do you think... do you think that we could do that... tomorrow... maybe?"

"I would love to do that, Rachel."

Rachel smiled and began to fiddle with her mother's ring again. "It's just that... I feel like... I feel like I am never, ever going to be good enough." Shelby could already feel tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "It's just... I don't think dad... I don't... he has such high expectations for me and it's so much pressure and sometimes I feel like... I feel like I do things just to please him and it's never for me. Like, dance. I love dance and I suppose I'm good. I have done it my entire life, but sometimes... sometimes I wonder if I'm doing it for dad or if... if I don't really like it as much as I say I do, but I've been saying that I want to be a dancer all my life because my dad said I would... I don't know... I... I'm not making any sense." The girl was trying to fight back tears. She hated that she was so damn sensitive and that she couldn't even form a single sentence.

"So," Shelby said as she squeezed her daughter's hand. "what you're trying to say is that you think that you might not like dance as much as you say you do because you've grown up hearing your dad, Leroy, I'm assuming," Rachel nodded. "say that you are going to be a dancer when you grow up. But, and please, stop me if I'm going off track, you want to sing and that is your passion." The girl nodded again.

Rachel cut in. "But that's just... that's not my main concern... I guess." A beat. "I don't think I will ever be good enough and I feel lost..." a few tears escaped down the girl's cheeks. "I feel like I am sad all the time and I don't know why. I feel like I don't have energy to do anything... I just... I feel like I'm stuck and I can't move and I can't really be happy... I just hope... this is phase and it'll pass."

Shelby nodded. She had talked to the parent's of her students and they had said that their child seemed off and always sad and that she should not be concerned. The woman knew that part of this... this feeling of loss was as a result of teenagers just trying to discover who they are and trying to figure out what they wanted to do with their lives. Someone could make a single comment, maybe unaware of how offensive it could be, and the person (the teenager, not maybe not even a teenager) hearing that comment will completely shut off.

"You know what I think?" Shelby said. "I think that you need to take care of yourself. Sing, if that's what you want to do. Sing and go for a walk and sing at the top of your lungs. Go out with friends and do something crazy or just go and get manicures. Doll yourself up. More importantly, stop staring in front of the mirrors for hours on end. You are beautiful, my dear, and you are so incredibly special. People will make hurtful comments, but that shouldn't matter because if you change and try to please everyone, you won't be happy. If you have to, wallow or just hide in your room, but that's okay."

"But, I just... I don't know what's wrong with me-"

"Nothing, _nothing_, is wrong with you." Shelby said as tears filled her eyes. She wished that she could help Rachel find her way and find that happy and bubbly girl again.

Rachel looked down at her hands. "I'm sorry... I'm being all dramatic and crap and I don't even make sense."

"You might feel as though you don't make sense, but you're talking, sweetie, and I am so thankful that you are. You don't have to bottle up your emotions. Sometimes, I feel that it's good to just say what's on your mind."

"I don't know."

"Okay, well, maybe you might feel a little..."

"Lousy"

"Lousy, but now, you're not alone, Rachel."

"Quinn's alone,"

"What?"

"Mom, did you hear what that... that woman said to her! She is horrible! She just... I never knew... Quinn never talked about her mother, but now... now I understand why..."

"You're right, Judy-"

"Is a complete bitch!"

"Language. But Judy should not have and should never speak to Quinn like that-"

"Mom, I'm worried about her. What if... what if she hurts her?" Rachel jumped to her feet. "We need to go and get Quinn! We need to go right now! Before it's too late! She is not safe in that house! Let's go!" Rachel started to head for the door. "Mom! Come on! We need to get Quinn!"

"Woah, hold up," Shelby called out as she wrapped an arm around Rachel and led her back to the couch. "Quinn is going to be fine, tonight."

"How do you know that? You don't know what's going on over there right now! How do you know that her mother isn't... isn't..."

"I know that because... well, I just know, okay? You need to relax, sweetie. Quinn is going to be okay. Of course I will not just let the way Judy spoke to Quinn go and I am sure Burt, as well as your dads will do something, but we can't do anything tonight. Do you understand?"

"I just wish... I wish she came to me... I could have helped her... or something."

"I'm sure you would have, sweetie, but like you said, Quinn has to come to you. You cannot push her to talk. Okay?"

"Yes, okay." Rachel said. She trusted her mother's word. However, she still felt lousy and felt as though talking didn't heal or change anything, but she did feel better knowing that she could speak to her mother and rather than hear her mother say things like, _"I don't know what has gotten into you, but you better do something about it." _ or _"Snap out of it."_ Shelby listened to what the girl was saying.

"Which," Shelby began. "reminds me. I promised your father's that you would call them." Rachel sat straighter. "Using my phone." Rachel pouted as she crossed her arms. Damn, that woman was good. "Just a quick hello and goodnight, okay?" The woman handed Rachel the phone.

_"Hello?"_  
"Daddy?"  
_"Hey, baby. How are you? Are you having fun?"  
_"Yeah, mo- we order pizza and we are going to watch Rent."  
_"Sounds fun, sweetie. I know how much you love that movie. That's wonderful that Shelby has it."_ A beat. _"Your dad and I are going to be fine. The doctor said we are fine. He is; however, going to keep dad for the night. His body really took a beating."_  
"And what about you?"  
_"I'm fine... knock on wood, just, you know... trying to remember..."_  
"Yeah,"  
_"Well, Rach, thank you for calling. I'm glad you are having fun. Eat some pizza for me and say hi to Shelby for me, okay?"_  
"Okay. Love you."  
_"Love you too, sweetie. Good night."_  
"Good night."

"See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Quinn sat on her bed, twiddling her thumbs. She didn't know what to do... correction... she couldn't do anything or go anywhere for two months. _Two months._ The blonde sighed and flopped on her back and stared at her ceiling. She could clean her already clean room or go through her clothes or work on a new cheer routine. She shook her head. No. She wondered what Rachel was doing at that moment. And Kurt. If they had it easy or if they were being grounded for eternity.

Just then, the door opened. It was her mother. "Quinn, I'm going out to run a few errands. Do _not_ leave this house. I've left a list of chores I'd like you to complete by the time I get back." With that, the woman left.

Quinn groaned as she flopped on her back again. Her mother's threats didn't really scare her anymore, but now... now people were going to be suspicious and there were going to ask questions. Should she tell the truth? The girl just learned to take her mother's words and over the years, she had grown thick skin.

After a beat, the girl sat up and left her room. She was going to finish all her chores. Usually, when her mother went on these so called errands, she was always coming home late. Quinn had it all planned out. She would do what she always did when her mother went out. All she would have to do was get all her chores out of the way and then go for a quick walk to clear her head. By this point, she had various back routes mapped out to avoid running into her mother at all costs.

The list seemed extra long, but nothing new:

-Clean out the dishwasher  
-Put away all the dishes  
-Load the dishes  
-Clean the bathroom  
-Do the laundry  
-Polish the furniture  
-Take out the trash  
-Vacuum all the rooms  
-Dust  
-Mop kitchen floor  
-Water plants

…...

As the movie ended, Shelby looked down at her daughter to find Rachel fighting sleep. The woman checked the time. It was almost eleven by now.

"Rach, sweetie," Shelby said lightly as she nudged the girl. "Let's get you into bed so you're more comfortable, okay?"

"Mmm," Rachel mumbled. She was too tired to talk, too tired to move. She just wanted to stay on this couch all night with her head resting on her mother's lap.

"Come on, sweetie." Shelby said, this time a little louder. Rachel may be comfortable, but there was no way in hell Shelby was going to sleep at a ninety degree angle.

"Mom," Rachel groaned as she tried to swat her mother's hand away, but really ended up swatting the air.

"Rachel, I am not going to carry you to your bed, come on." Shelby said as she got the girl into a sitting position.

"Mom, I was comfortable," Rachel mumbled as she tried to gather her bearings. She couldn't even keep her head up.

"And, you'll be even more comfortable in your bed, now come on," Shelby pulled the semi conscious girl to her feet and guided her to her room.

After stopping in the bathroom, the woman helped the tired girl slip into her sheets.

"Mom," Rachel said to Shelby as the woman squatted to the girl's eye level.

"Yes, baby?"

"Mom, you'd be a really Maureen," the girl mumbled.

The woman smirked. "You think?"

"Yeah," Rachel said heavily. "Goodnight mom," Rachel whispered as she reached for her mother's hand.

"Goodnight, Rach, I love you." Shelby whispered back as she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"I love you too."

Shelby stayed close to Rachel until she saw her breathing even out. Shelby carefully rearranged Rachel's blankets around her and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you," Shelby whispered into the sleeping girl's ear.

…...

"I can't believe I have to say _another_ night in this goddamn place." Leroy said through his teeth. "I feel fine. This is ridiculous and unnecessary.

"Hey," Hiram said as he pulled a chair up. "better to be safe than sorry _and_ it's a good thing we came."

Leroy did not have any comment to say back. He crossed his arms and stared straight ahead.

"Rachel called." Hiram said after a beat. "She sounds like she is having fun. Shelby ordered pizza and they are watching Rent."

Leroy scoffed. "She has only seen that movie, what, five hundred times?"

"Shelby seems to be doing really well with her."

"I guess," Leroy said.

Just then, the Dr. Drummand stepped into the room.

"Leroy," he said as he looked over the man's chart. "I see we went on a little trip." A beat. "How are we feeling? How's the pain?"

"I'm fine," Leroy said through his teeth. "Do you have a chart for Hiram? Tell him he needs to stay the night and tell him that he needs to be hooked up to all these machines and be woken up every hour to have his vitals taken."

"No can do, sorry. Hiram is doing fabulous and I am over the moon about his recovery." The doctor turned to face Hiram. "Actually, would you mind taking these forms," the doctor handed Hiram a pile of papers. "to the nurses' station? They're just discharge papers that I will fill out tomorrow when we release Leroy."

"Of course," Hiram said as she slipped out of the room.

After Hiram left, Dr. Drummand pulled up a chair. "You know, you had a visitor today." He said under his breath. "But I sent her away."

Leroy looked down at his hands. "Good. Thanks."

"Well," Dr. Drummand said as he stood up. "get some rest, okay?"

Leroy nodded and watched as the doctor slipped out of the room.

…...

As Shelby lightly closed Rachel's door, she heard her cell phone ringing.

"Hello?"  
_"Shelby?"_  
"Hiram, Rachel just fell asleep, but if-"  
_"No, don't wake her up. Leroy and I already said our goodnights to her."_ A beat. _"I was actually calling to talk to you."_  
"Me?"  
_"Yes, I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing... I heard about your resignation from Vocal Adrenaline. I'm so sorry to hear about that. I know how important Vocal Adrenaline is to you."_  
"Hiram, you don't have to say that. Thank you, though, I appreciate it. I just... it's going to be okay. I'm going to be a change, but a much needed change. It is not the end of the world. Yes, I'll miss coaching, but I'm not going to just throw it all away. I'll teach private lessons or..."  
_"You know, Rachel adores you. She has, even before she found out you were her mother. I just... I want to thank you. This is such a huge sacrifice you are making and I'm sure-"_  
"Hiram, stop, please. I would do anything for Rachel, you know that. Me... me leaving Vocal Adrenaline, I was asked to leave, but even before Jesse... that little jerk... before he went and tried to take care of matters on his own, I was considering... no, I had plans of leaving because of Rachel and because I want to get to know her... and you and Leroy.  
_"Shelby, if there is anything... anything we can do, please, do not hesitate to ask. I really mean it."_  
"Thank you, Hiram. That means a lot, but I think I can take care of myself."  
_"But you don't have to and you shouldn't have to."_  
"As I have said before, I really appreciate you trying to help, Hiram, I really do and if I think of something, I will be sure to let you know, okay?"  
_"Anytime, Shelby." _A beat.  
"What time do you want Rachel home?"  
_"How about two?"_  
"Two it is."  
_"I'll see you tomorrow Shelby and thank you, again."_  
"Of course, Hiram. You don't have to thank me every time. You know I enjoy spending time with Rachel. Good night."  
_"Good night."_

By the time Quinn had completed all her chores she was exhausted. She glanced at the clock and estimated that had about an hour and half until her mother could be back.

Quinn's heartbeat began to race. She wanted to get out, yet she was so terrified that her mother was going to find out. She was already in so much trouble. She groaned just thinking about all the community service and crash courses she would have to take, but it was better than being thrown in jail. She wondered what was going to happen to Jesse. The girl also had to think about how to she was going to get the money to pay the fine for driving underage and without a license. The blonde perked up. She had an idea. She grabbed her coat and darted out the door. A short walk, that's all she would need to work out all the details. It was going to be brilliant.

…...

Rachel rolled over in her bed and glanced at the clock. It was just five in the morning. The girl could never really sleep in. She hated the idea of sleeping in and then half the day was wasted. Rachel threw her sheets to the side, got out of bed, and dressed.

The girl then slipped out of her room and tip toed into the kitchen to find some breakfast and coffee.

After satisfying her appetite, the girl went to explore her mother's house. She knew she had a grand piano somewhere. The girl climbed the steps to the second floor and stopped dead in her tracks. The entire second floor was all one room and it was magnificent. There was a grand piano off to the left. Off to the right, there were a few lounging chairs and a table. There were also a few guitars and a ukulele in the corner. But, what made Rachel almost drop her coffee on the white carpet were the sides of the room, which were packed with piano music and sheet music that ranged from the 60's to present day and music from Broadway Musicals. Music from every genre. There were books on the correct posture to have while singing, books on how to prepare for auditions, and books about famous artists. Rachel felt like Bell when the Beast showed her his library. The girl carefully set her coffee down and walked over to the piano, lightly brushing her fingers over the keys.

The girl walked to the left side of the room and browsed through the some of the sheet music until she came across a song that was on her mind. Rachel brought the music over to the piano and set it on the ledge. The girl wasn't the best piano player, but she had, had enough experience to be able to sight read and play some chords.

_Let's take a better look_  
_beyond a story book_  
_And learn our souls are all we own_  
_before we turn to stone_

_Let's go to sleep with clearer heads_  
_and hearts too big to fit our beds_  
_And maybe we won't feel so alone_  
_before we turn to stone..._

As Rachel sung the last note, the sound of someone applauding made her turn around. It was her mother, grinning ear to ear with tears in her eyes.

"Rachel," Shelby said as she stepped closer to the girl. "that was absolutely beautiful. You, my dear, you have something."

"You think?" Rachel asked as she made room for her mother to join her on the bench.

"Absolutely."

"But... but what can I do to be better?" Rachel asked. While she was overjoyed by her mother's praise, if she wanted a spot on the Glee Club, she would have to push herself now and expand her repertoire. She needed to be able to take criticism without crying and she needed to apply changes fast.

"Woah, there." Shelby said. "There is plenty of time, but right now, we-"

"Mom, I've already eaten." Rachel whined.

"What time did you wake up? Five?"

"Mhmm," Rachel said.

Shelby sighed. "Well, let me get something in my stomach and a cup of coffee and then we can work on a new piece. How does that sound?"

"I would love that," Rachel said with a smile.

**This is not my best chapter and I'm not really satisfied with it; however, I really wanted to get something out for all of you.**

**Thank you again for all the support! I will try to get back on track. I want to get the ball rolling! However, August is going to be busy for me... I am going away again to visit family friends at the shore and then COLLEGE! I don't know how or when I'll be able to write once school starts, but I will find a way!**

**Also, if you didn't remember, Hiram is an artist. Like I said before, art is such a huge part of my life and I am sorry if some of you do not like that this is Hiram's career, but I had to intertwine art into this story. Sorry for any typos.**


	10. Chapter 10

Notnow - I'm glad I made your day! And, to address your second review, I agree with you completely. I don't know where the fourth season is headed, but I hope Ryan writes in something good for Rachel and Shelby. Idina Menzel is fabulous and I hope and pray that she gets an awesome duet with Lea! Thank you so much for your review!

banjojd - Thank you so much for your review! Leroy may seem like a tough guy, but he does have a soft spot and he does have his fears. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Dorothy - It was great that Shelby could detect that something was off with Rachel. Even though they have just met, Rachel is her daughter and there has been and always will be this connection between them that keeps them together. Quinn's plan is going to be a huge surprise that I don't think anyone will see coming! Thank you for reviewing!

Guest - Thank you so much!

Guest - Thank you so much for your kind words. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Janie - Thank you for your review! There are some big things that will happen start to happen in this chapter, some that I don't think anyone will see coming and some that I hope won't upset anyone.

Sally - Thank you! I am so happy you like that Hiram is an artist! Rachel will definitely try to find ways to get around her grounding. Judy and Quinn have secrets that they are keeping from each other! Thank you so much again for reading and reviewing.

Guest - Thank you!

Abby - Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Guest - Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Anon - Thank you so much! As much as I want Shelby to have Rachel all to herself, her father's are so important and have done remarkably well with her.

**Once again, thank you so much for all your reviews and alerts. It means so much!**

**Many, many new things will start to surface and the last chapter set up some of the things I have planned for this story. I am not sure what your reactions will be, but it's something that I have had planned for a bit. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Also, the kids have their trial in this chapter. I am no professional and I did do some research about driving laws in Ohio, but again, I don't know a whole lot. I hope I don't upset anyone or offend anyone. I understand that I may be way off with how a court room is run, but I gave it my best shot.**

Quinn lay in her bedthat Sunday morning, staring at her ceiling. Her mind was racing, mulling over last night.

_The blonde quickly grabbed a hoodie and then stepped outside. She closed the door behind her and walked swiftly towards a house that she had been to maybe once or twice. The girl was going to have to make it quick if she wanted to get home before her mother did. She only knew where Jesse St. James's house was because Rachel had taken her there to spy on Vocal Adrenaline. The girl was sure he wouldn't remember her, but she had no other choice. He was her only hope._

_When Quinn reached her destination, she knocked on the door._

_"Quinn?" Jesse asked with a confused look after opening the door. What was she doing here? And what was she doing out so late?_

_"Do you have a minute?" Quinn asked as she looked over her shoulder, checking to see if anyone was behind her._

_"I... guess," Jesse said as he stepped outside. He didn't want to risk bringing the girl inside. He was already in enough trouble as is. "So.. uh... what's this about?"_

_"Jesse, I know that... well, I don't really... I don't know where to begin or how... how I should ask, but I need... I need to ask you a huge favor , a very, very big favor and," she held up her hand to silence him. She shook her head, "I... I know it is a lot to ask and I know that you have your own shit to deal with, but I... I didn't know who else to go to."_

_Jesse remained silent and raised his eyebrow. "So... your question is?" Why were girls so damn confusing._

_"Oh, right," the girl took a deep breath, "I... I need money," Quinn said looking down. She was embarrassed, but it was the truth. How the hell was her mom expecting her to pay whatever fine she would be charged with. The girl began to talk quickly. "I don't know how much... what the fine is... right now, but I promise, I swear I will pay you back every cent and more." Quinn faced the boy. "I know this is a lot to ask, hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't willing to help after... but... but my mom isn't... she isn't going to help out and I have no fucking idea how I am going to pay whatever fine I get in time."_

_Jesse did not see this coming. Why should he help this girl out? He wracked his brain, thinking if there were any reasons if he should hate her, but he couldn't think of anything. Still, he did have his own crap he had to deal with, but part of him wanted to help. It wasn't that he felt sympathy, though. In addition, he was definitely not interested in having a relationship with this chick, if that's where she thought it was headed. She just wasn't his type._

_"Why me?"_

_"What?"_

_"I said, why me, Quinn. Of all the people, why me? I barely even know you. Why not Shelby? Or I don't know... your best friends, big nose-"_

_"Rachel,"_

_"Rachel or Kurt?"_

_"Because," Quinn said as she wrung her fingers. "I know how we can... how we can make this even, in addition to me paying you back."_

_The boy raised his eyebrow. He was starting to get lost. "Are you just fucking with me, Q?" He spat. He didn't want to fall into this trap... whatever trap this girl was plotting._

_"Is that what you think?" Quinn said. "You are so thick headed!" She stood up. "Forget it, just forget I ever came by. I should be getting home anyways."_

_"Wait!" Jesse said as he stood up and reached for the girls arm. Damn, he thought to himself, girls were so dramatic. The smallest things always set them off in a frenzy. "What do you have in mind?"_

_Quinn stood there with her arms crossed. She was wasting her time with this jerk._

_"Quinn... please?"_

_The girl bit the inside of her mouth, debating whether or not it was worth it. She knew, doing this would betray her closest of friends and that she may never be forgiven, but she had no other choice._

_"Fine," Quinn said as she sat back down on the porch. "But not a word until I finish speaking, got it?"_

...

_Judy Fabray sat in her car outside the hospital. She took a deep breath. It was now or never. She knew she left Quinn enough chores to keep her busy for at least three hours. The woman turned the ignition off, grabbed her purse, and made her way through the automatic doors._

_"Berry," the woman said at the front desk. The receptionist held up her finger, singling that she needed a minute. "You're kidding me, right?" Nothing. "HELLO? I'm standing right here! I could be dying!"_

_"Judy Fabray," Dr. Drummand said as he handed a nurse a patient's chart. "What are you doing here?"_

_The woman straighten herself. "Just... uh, visiting a friend. I... I was actually just leaving."_

_"Leroy?" the doctored questioned as he crossed his arms. What was this woman up to?_

_"Well-"_

_"Judy, I heard you... why are here to see him?" The woman clamped her mouth shut. "Because, visiting hours are over. I suggest that you leave the premise now," Dr. Drummand gave the woman a good long stare until she started backing off and exited the building. _

...

Kurt was sitting at the kitchen table nibbling on a piece of toast when he father enter the room. The day was almost over. The boy sighed. He had to go back to reality tomorrow, _school_.

"Hey," Burt said as he entered the room.

"Hi," Kurt said as he shifted in his seat. He was antsy. His father had yet to tell him whether or not he was going to be grounded until college. He also was anticipating when his court date was. Why wasn't anyone telling him anything? He didn't like not knowing these things. He needed to know so he could prepare himself. He wanted to know how his friends were doing and when he was going to be able to see them. Tomorrow was Monday, so he would be able to see them then, right?

His father poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the other end of the kitchen table. For a beat, Kurt just watched as his father read the newspaper. Coffee? This late in the day? The boy wondered.

"Dad?" Kurt said. His father looked up from the paper. "Dad... why aren't you... not that I'm... I don't-"

"Son," Burt said. "what are you trying to say?"

"It's just that... why aren't you... aren't you going to ground me or something?"

Burt Hummel put down the paper he was reading and glanced over at his son. He lightly chuckled to himself.

"Kurt, of course I am going to ground you, in fact, your grounding has already started."

"I... I don't understand," Kurt said, biting his lip. What was this?

"Kurt," Burt said as he sat next to his son. "When you stepped off that plane, your grounding started, whether you knew it or not. I didn't say anything to you this weekend because I wanted you to think about what you did. In a way, I wanted you to... squirm. I know that you knew what you did was wrong, but I wanted you to _really_ think about your actions," Kurt opened his mouth to speak, but Burt silenced him. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to let you off that easy. You will not be allowed to go out on the weekends for the next two months and you will be helping me around the shop."

"Okay," Kurt said. He knew he deserved that and that it could have been a lot worse. In fact, his father was right, he had spent the rest of the weekend thinking about what he did. He certainly wasn't thrilled that he was going to be getting dirty, but he wasn't going to object. He hated that he let his father down and lost his trust. He needed to gain that back. "So-"

"Oh, and another thing, "your court date is tomorrow." He watched as his son's eyes bulged out. "It's going to be okay. Quinn and Rachel will be there too. From what I'm getting, you will go in and the judge will explain how everything is going to go."

With that, his father got up, patted his son on the shoulder, and left. This was too soon, Kurt thought to himself. He didn't know how he was supposed to dress or how he was supposed to act tomorrow. Did Rachel and Quinn know the court date was tomorrow?

"Kurt, you have five minutes to be in the shop," Burt said.

Kurt sighed and gobbled down the rest of his toast. Here goes nothing, he thought to himself.

...

"Mom!" Rachel called from the top of the stairs. "Mom!" Nothing. "MOM!" Silence. "Moooom!"

"Rachel! I'll be right there!" Shelby called from the kitchen. She didn't even have time to take a sip of coffee before Rachel was summoning her. She took a deep breath and headed upstairs.

"Mom, your music selection is absolutely fabulous!" Shelby watched as Rachel danced around the room. "Oh, I _love_ West Side Story! Can we work on Somewhere! Oh, wait, no let's do a Carole King song!" Rachel was talking a mile a minute. The woman wondered if she ever slept. "But, I love, love, _love_ For Good. Mom, you should write a book! Mom are you going to give vocal lessons? Can I watch? Oh, we should definitely work on Somewhere Over the Rainbow or Imagine! Mom-"

"Rach," Shelby said as he rubbed her temples. "calm down, okay? There is plenty of time to work on all the songs you want. I actually had a song in mind that I-"

"Yes!" the girl said excitedly. "Let's do it!"

"You haven't even heard what I had on my mind!" the woman laughed.

"I know, but you have such great tastes in music. Whatever you choose will be awesome!"

"Okay, well you know this artist. In fact, he has composed the scores to some of the best musicals out there. I thought that we could sing Elton John's Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters."

"Okay! I love him! I just love, _love_ The Lion King! Oh, and Aida! That's great! I have this fantasy of doing 'My Strongest Suit' for a competition song. I also _love_ Billy Elliot!"

"And," Shelby said, cutting Rachel off, "before we start this song I would like to give you a little background on this song." Rachel groaned. Seriously? A history lesson? "Hey," the woman said as she walked over to the piano. "would you rather research this yourself and write me a paper?" A beat. "That's what a thought." The woman waved the girl over. "Now, this song was released in 1972 in Elton John's Honky Chateau album. It was written by not only Elton John himself, but also Bernie Taupin. This song was written after Bernie heard a gunshot go off near his window when he first visited New York City." Rachel was fidgeting in her seat. "Rachel? Are you listening? Do I have to quiz you on this later?"

"No!" Rachel said quickly. "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Elton John, Bernie, New York City. Got it."

"The lyrics were inspired by Ben E. King's Spanish Harlem. Do you know who Ben E. King is?" the woman asked.

"Of course, mother," Rachel groaned. "He sang Stand By Me." The girl began to hum the tune.

"Correct." the woman said. She was glad that her father's were exposes her to _good_ music. "Now, I chose this song because, not only was this song used in the film Almost Famous, but, more importantly, what I want you to get out of this song is that you will meet people in your life, some that may be kind, some that may be harsh, and some that may be more fortunate or less fortunate, but you will always learn and gain something, regardless." The woman sighed. She wondered if Rachel anything was going to stick in the girl's brain. "You won't fully understand how lucky and fortunate you are to have such a supportive group of friends and a wonderful family, until you live your life."

The small girl nodded. She was kind of following what her mother was saying. She gnawed at her lip, unsure of what to do.

"Now," Shelby said as she placed her fingers on the piano. "this first time around, I just want you to close your eyes and listen to the lyrics, okay?" The girl nodded. She closed her eyes as she listened to her mother's sweet voice fill the room.

_While Mona Lisas and mad hatters,_  
_sons of bankers, sons of lawyers,_  
_turn around and say, "good morning" to the night._  
_For unless they see the sky, but they can't and that is why,_  
_they know not if it's dark outside or light._

_And now I know, "Spanish Harlem" are not just pretty words to say._  
_I thought I knew, but now I know that rose trees never grow,_  
_in New York City._  
_Subways no way, for a good man to go down,_  
_Rich man can ride, and the hobo he can drown._

_And I thank the Lord the people I have found,_  
_I thank the Lord for the people I have found..._

...

"Good afternoon, Leroy." Dr. Drummand said as he pulled a chair close to the man. "How are we feeling this morning?"

"Lousy," the man said. He felt fine and now, being in this hospital made him feel ten times worse.

"That's to be expected," the doctor said as he reviewed the man's chart. "You're not going to like what I have to say," the doctor said cautiously.

"Don't tell me I have to stay another night."

"Nights," Dr. Drummand said.

"What?" Leroy spat as he tried to sit up. "What the hell could I have possibly done?"

The doctor sighed. "We were hoping that some of the internal damage you sustained from the accident would heal on itself, but your body took quite a beating and we will mostly likely have to go in and clean up the infection."

Leroy groaned. This wasn't helping. Sure, he felt like shit, but why did they have to operate. What about Rachel? He didn't want to spend another night in this place.

"It'll be a quick procedure and can have you out in say... two days," the doctor said standing up. "Where's Hiram?.

"He's back at the house, waiting for Shelby to drop Rachel off. She spent the night with Shelby." Leroy replied.

"Well," the doctor said as he made his want to the door "get some rest and I'll see you in a few hours."

...

Rachel was still on a high after her small voice lesson with her mother. That woman definitely knew her stuff; however, the girl did not like the idea of having to research a song before performing it. It was a kill joy, really.

The girl sighed and leaned back in backseat. She didn't want to go home. She wanted to stay with Shelby and get to know the woman more.

As Shelby pulled into the girl's driveway, Hiram stepped outside to greet them.

"Daddy!" Rachel squealed as she opened the back seat and barreled into her father's arms. "I missed you."

"I miss you too, sweetie. Did you have fun?" The girl nodded. She pulled away from her father and rushed inside. Hiram straightened himself and hugged Shelby. "Thank you, again, Shelby for watching Rachel."

"Of course," the woman said. "We had a lot of fun."

"I hope she didn't wake you up at the crack of dawn. Rachel likes to wake up early."

"So I learned," Shelby said with a laugh. "She didn't wake me up, but she did put a dent in my coffee."

There was a beat.

"Why don't you step inside," Hiram said.

"Oh, I should really be getting on my way. Rain check?"

"Right," Hiram said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm going to hold you to that." Hiram said as he quickly stuck his head inside the house. "Rachel! Come say goodbye!"

"Bye!" Shelby and Hiram heard Rachel call from upstairs. Hiram gave the woman an apologetic look. "She says thank you."

"Oh, before I forget," the woman said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out Rachel's cell phone. "Wouldn't want to forget this!"

Hiram laughed. "Thank you. I'm surprised Rachel didn't try to steal this away from you."

"We'll be in touch," Shelby said with a laugh as she got into her car.

Hiram lingered at the doorstep as he watched the woman back out of the driveway. He sighed as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

"Rachel?" he called. "Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"Come down here, please. I need so speak with you."

_Crap_, Rachel thought to herself. Was she in trouble? She tried to think if she did anything wrong... anything besides running off to New York City. The girl took a deep breath. It was fine, she wasn't in trouble. She always felt like she was in trouble when her fathers called her downstairs.

"What is it?" Rachel asked as she plopped herself on the couch.

"Rach, tomorrow... tomorrow is your court date and-"

"WHAT?" Rachel said as she jumped to her feet. Tears began to fall freely. "No, I'm not... I... I'm not ready for this!" The small girl began to shake. She was terrified. She had no idea what to expect. This was the end. She was going to be locked up forever and would never, _ever_ be able to make it big. She would have a record.

"Rachel," Hiram said as he pulled the girl into a hug, "sweetie, look at me... Rachel, you're okay. It's going to be okay."

"How do you know that?" the tiny girl sobbed, "how do you know they aren't going to arrest me! Or Quinn! Or Kurt? My life is ruined! The judge is going to be mean and-"

"Because," Hiram said as he rubbed the girl's back, "this thing tomorrow... it's not to lock anyone up, it's for a judge to tell you what you and Quinn and Kurt will have to do as... as, I guess, punishment for what you did. You need to understand that this won't be taken lightly."

"I'm scared," the girl whispered.

"I know sweetie, I know. But, I will be there, with you, every step of the way and so will your dad." A beat. "Speaking of your father..."

"What about him? Where is he? Is he okay?" Rachel pulled away from Hiram. "Is he still at the hospital? Shouldn't you be there?"

"Yes, he is," Hiram said calmly, "he's going to be there for a little while longer, but," he grabbed the girl's hands to keep her attention, "I don't want you to worry. He is in good hands, okay?" Rachel nodded. "No more crying, okay?"

Rachel nodded as she licked her lips. "What," she hiccupped, "...what about you. How are you?"

"I'm doing just fine, sweetie. I was checked out by Dr. Drummand and got the okay. Things are still fuzzy, but it's coming back,"

With that, Rachel forced a smile across her face. It was going to be _okay_. "Daddy," she said excitedly, "mo- Shelby taught me a new song and I want to play... and sing it for you!"

"I'd love to hear it," Hiram said with a smile.

...

Rachel sat nervously, biting her nails, as she waited for the trial to begin. She felt like she was going to throw up. The girl didn't get a wink of sleep the previous night. She would rather be in school right now. She'd rather be in math class and she would rather be getting slushied.

The girl looked to her left. Kurt looked like a ghost. His eyes were trained forward. Next to Kurt was Quinn. The blonde had her lips pursed. She was trying to be strong, but it wasn't working. Rachel couldn't recall a single time when the blonde had broken down crying.

The adults were also close by. Judy sat impatiently as she bounced her leg up and down. She kept on shifting in her seat and looking at her watch as if she had somewhere else better to be. Burt Hummel was on the edge of his seat. He looked as though he was going to pounce. Finally, there was Hiram. Something about him relaxed her. Rachel was glad that it was just Hiram and not Leroy, or it would have surely been a bloodbath.

Moment later, the judge arrived.

"All rise," a voice said.

That was happening. Rachel took a deep shaky breath. She promised herself she wouldn't cry. She needed to prove that she could take the punishments like an adult.

"You may all be seated," a woman dressed in a long black robe said. As everyone sat down, she introduced herself. "My name is Judge Cardwell." The judge looked down at the files in front of her. "Is everyone present?"

"Yes... yes, your Honor," Burt said standing up. "My name is Burt Hummel and my irresponsible son is Kurt... Kurt Hummel,"

_Oh god_, Kurt thought to himself. They had barely been in there for five minutes and his father was embarrassing him.

"Mr. Hummel," Judge Cardwell said. "Please be seated, so we can proceed." The woman turned her attention to the three children before her. "Quinn Fabray, Kurt Hummel, and... Rachel Berry, do you know why you are here?"

The three children nodded and remained silent as they listened to Judge Cardwell speak. Not once, did she address any of the adults. She was speaking directly to them.

Quinn tried to focus, but she couldn't. Too much was on her mind. She was thinking about her conversation with Jesse the other night. She was thinking about her mother and wondered why her mother seemed... different when she returned. She was thinking about what and how she was going to find time to get all this community service done and taking this so called crash course on driving safety.

"Please, explain to me all of this again," Burt said with his hands on his hips, pulling all the children away from their thoughts.

"Dad!" Kurt said through clenched teeth as he slumped in his chair. His father was so embarrassing. Was he seriously going to ask the judge to repeat everything she said? The last thing he wanted to do was aggravate the judge even more. Did parents _ever_ listen?

"Quinn," Judge Cardwell said, ignoring Burt. "Do you understand that a driver in the state of Ohio must be fifteen years and six months to get a permit and sixteen years to get a license?" The small blonde nodded nervously. They all nodded. "In addition, to even qualify to get a license, one must complete twenty four hours of classroom driving instruction and eight hours of instruction behind the wheel with a qualified teacher. You must-"

"We understand all of this." Judy snapped as she leaned forward. She was getting impatient. "Can we please just get this over with? I know you must have other things to do. Why don't we just-"

"Ms. Fabray," Judge Cardwell said sharply. "Do I have to have your removed from the courtroom? Because I will if you open your mouth again. I can think of a million other places I want to be right now, but, right now, I need to make sure _your_ daughter and her friends understand that what they have done cannot be taken lightly. You're lucky that they did not get in an accident or a cop pulled them over. Now, can I continue? Or does someone else have something they would like to say?" The blonde woman pursed her lips and leaned back in her seat. She did not like this woman. "As I was saying, you must also have at least fifty hours of practice behind the wheel, ten of which must be at night _with_ a licensed adult."

"Yes, your honor," Quinn said. She knew all of this. She knew all of that since she was four. She had already read the driving manual cover to cover dozens of times. If _only_, the blonde thought to herself, if _only_ I had waited a few months, I would have been able to get my permit. The girl shook her head. She was an idiot. She didn't know why she did this. Well, she did, but she was beginning to think it wasn't worth it anymore.

"Ms. Fabray... Ms. Fabray," Judge Cardwell said a little louder.

Quinn snapped out of her trans. "Yes, your Honor?" The judge raised her eyebrow as if she was waiting for a response. "I'm sorry... can you repeat the question?"

"I said, do you agree to serve fifty hours of community service and take all the crash courses by..." the woman paused to sift through the files, "by the end of August?" The judge paused. Where was this girl's mind? Kurt and Rachel were attentive and had agreed, but now, she just needed an okay from Quinn.

"Are you kidding?" Judy said as she shot out of her seat. "Do you expect my daughter, my thirteen year old daughter, and her two friends to get all of this... whatever this is in a little under a month?"

"Ms. Fabray," Judge Cardwell said through her teeth, "and any other person who interrupts me again, I will double what I am giving your children. Be thankful because it should be worse, but-"

"Yes, your Honor," Kurt said, "we will do it." He nudged Quinn.

"Yes, your Honor," she replied into her hands.

The boy looked to his right. Rachel hadn't said a single word. He wanted her to say something or move. _Something_. None of them really said anything.

"In addition," the woman said, "Quinn, you will not be allowed to get your learner's permit for another year. Kurt and Rachel, because you were not driving the vehicle, you will both take additional crash courses on driving safety. Am I clear? Are there any questions?" Silence. "Very well," the woman said, "we are done here. I hope I don't see any of you in this courtroom again." A beat. "You children are very, _very_ lucky. You're lucky you didn't get in an accident and you're lucky no one was hurt. Now, you are all free to go." Judge Cardwell banged her gavel. "Court adjourned."

The judge watched as all the children got up wearily. "Quinn," Judge Cardwell called out, "can I see you in my chambers?"

"No, she can't." Judy said quickly. "She has to be somewhere... now."

"Ms. Fabray," Judge Cardwell said, "should I have reason to believe that Quinn is in danger? Surely I can just speak to her briefly... if need be, I can write her a note to excuse her tardiness for... where ever she has to be." A beat. "Because, judging by your quick reaction, I should be concerned."

Judy clenched her fists. "Fine," she gave Quinn a push towards the judge, "go on, we have _nothing_ to hide, right Quinny?" Was this woman seriously questioning her parenting tactics?

Quinn looked at the ground and then at the judge. She quickly averted her eyes and looked at Rachel and Kurt who were nodding on her.

"I can wait," Hiram said stepping forward, "and give Quinn a ride home."

"That won't be necessary," Judy said kindly.

"Well," Judge Cardwell said, "we won't be long. Feel free to get a bit to eat in the cafeteria."

The small blonde wearily followed the woman back to her chambers. Her mind started racing, she knew what this was about and she knew that she had to come up with an excuse and _fast_.

...

Shelby pulled into the parking lot at the Lima Bean. She was going to speak with Jesse St. James. She needed to straighten things up between them and to see where they stood.

The woman stepped inside the tiny cafe and sucked in a deep breath. She loved the smell of coffee. Shelby looked around the corner where the sitting area was and didn't see Jesse and then glanced at the time. It was still early. Jesse was never late. The woman stepped in line to order herself and Jesse coffees, looking towards the door every time someone stepped in.

After settling herself in the farthest corner of the sitting area, Jesse finally stepped in. Shelby flagged him down.

"Jesse," Shelby said carefully, "thank you so much for meeting me today."

"No problem," Jesse said as he sat down opposite the woman.

"Coffee?" Shelby asked as she pushed a tall coffee cup towards the boy.

"Thanks," Jesse said as he took a sip.

"So, Jesse, I guess you're wondering why I asked to meet you here... or maybe... you know why I brought you here..."

Jesse just shrugged. He was still angry at the woman, but he liked the idea of getting out of the house. "I don't know... to like... like make amends or whatever?"

"Well, that too, but Jesse, I don't want to be your enemy. I don't-"

"Look, I get it. You kicked me off the team. It's whatever. Like I have more free time, which is great. So, you don't need to apologize or whatever. Yeah, I have to do like stupid community service and shit and whatever, but like the lady... what's her face..."

"Karen?"

"Yeah, Karen was all, '_Jesse, I am very disappointed in you, but you have potential, so I am going to see what I can do.'_ And I was like, '_That is so kind of you, thank you.'_ And then she was like-"

"Okay!" Shelby cut in, putting her hands up, "I get it. So Karen is helping you out?" The woman could not believe that. Was that even legal?

"Well, she like tried, but I mean, I'm... it's like whatever,"

"Jesse," Shelby said as she crossed her arms. "I'll make this quick so you can go off and do... whatever you're doing with your free time." A beat. "I was.. I am going to offer to give you singing lessons. Now, before you bitch and moan, hear me out. You have talent, Jesse, but that doesn't mean you should take your big ego to New York City and tell people what to do and walk into an audition looked like... this," the woman looked the boy up and down, "because I can guarantee that... it will get you nowhere. You need more training, Jesse, and I am offering you this chance... this chance to maybe even gain my trust back and maybe even learn something if you just open your eyes and your ears." Another beat. "I'm not going to let you back on the team, but I _am_ going to and would like to continue to coach you. So, what do you think?"

...

"Would you like anything to drink, Quinn?" Judge Cardwell asked as she opened her mini fridge. "I've got... water, sprite, and... apple juice..."

"Uh... water, please," Quinn said._ Manners, Quinn_, the blonde heard her mother say in her heard The woman handed her a bottle of water. "Thank you," the girl said softly.

"You're welcome," the woman said as she took a sip of sprite as she eyed the girl carefully. A beat. "Quinn, do you know why I asked you to come back here?" The blonde shook her head. "Quinn... I'm just going to come out and be honest with you okay?" The girl nodded her head. "Quinn, your friend's parents... Burt- Mr. Hummel and Mr. Berry... they said that your mother... they said that she seemed pretty upset with you."

Quinn just shrugged. "I would be too... if my child drove off to New York City... underage and without a license... I'd be furious."

"Quinn, they told me your mother was-"

"No!" Quinn cried as she cut the woman off. She knew where this was headed. "She... she hasn't... I mean, she..." the girl could feel tears pricking the corners of her eyes, "she... she just gets upset and stuff... and it's... I'm fine... it's nothing, I just..." the girl looked down at her hands, "she gets angry at me, but it's not... it's not as bad as it looks. They're wrong. They are all wrong. Don't listen to them."

Judge Cardwell leaned forward, trying to catch the girl's eyes. She was avoiding her. eyes "Quinn, right now, I can tell you this, something is up and I understand-"

"No, you actually don't. You don't know me,"

She's a fighter, the judge thought to herself with a light smile.

"You're right, Quinn, I don't know you like your friends know you, but from what I gathered from Mr. Hummel, Mr. Berry, _and_ your mother and from today, I... it... your mother doesn't-"

"Just spit it out," Quinn said bitterly with her arms crossed.

"You're not safe, Quinn, and-"

The girl shot up. "So you're going to place me in a fucking home? And that's where I am going to live for the rest of my life! Jumping from family to family because they can't handle me!" The girl wanted to punch something. "You're going to ruin my life! I just want to go to school-"

"And you will," Judge Cardwell tired to get in.

"I just want to go to school and see my friends and-"

"Quinn," the woman said as she stood up and took the girl in her arms, "you're safe now, okay? We are going to look into your case, but right now, there is high beliefs and reasons to believe that you should not be with your mother right now. We are just... we are doing something you were just afraid of doing and that is okay. You should not be ashamed,"

"Okay," Quinn whispered into the woman's chest. "Okay,"

...

Shelby was on the road once again. She had one last stop to make before she could go back home. She kept checking her phone, anxious to hear back from Hiram about how the trial went. She wanted to know how all the children were doing. And Leroy.

The woman sighed as she checked her phone one last time. _Nothing. _She got out of the car and headed towards Carmel High School. The woman had contacted everyone as soon as she and Jesse went their separate ways. She just needed to speak with all of them briefly.

As the woman neared the auditorium, she could hear voices inside. Shelby took a deep breath and pushed through the double doors.

"It's nice to see all to you!" Shelby said as she made her way down the stairs with her show face on.

"Miss. Corcoran!" A few voices called out! "Are you coming back? What's going to happen?" So many questions were being thrown out at once.

The woman held her hand up to silence everyone. "No, I am not coming back, when I told you that, I meant it." A pause. "However, I am here to tell you who your new coach will be,"

**Again, I did do some research about the penalties for minors driving without a license in the state of Ohio, but I realize that some of my facts may still be inaccurate. So, for the record, again, I am saying this now, I am no professional. I am unfamiliar with how the whole system works, so I apologize if it's way off track. The only knowledge I have of how a court room is run and the laws is from Jodi Picoult's novels. She is my absolute favorite author and she such an amazing writer.**

**Also, I'm saying this again, I had no intention of offending anyone with the material I covered in this chapter. I apologize if I did. This chapter is a little shorter than I anticipated. Sorry for any typos.**


	11. Chapter 11

sdmwd1115 - Quinn and Jesse's conversation will be revealed in this chapter, as well as who Quinn will be staying with! Thank you so much for reviewing!

Jamison08 - Thanks for reading my story up until this point and reviewing!

Guest - Thank you so much for all your kind words. You're right, Judy will not be happy, but she brought this on herself. Thanks again for reviewing and reading!

Guest - Thank you so much!

notnow - Thank you so much! I am glad you are getting that Shelby is a compassionate and thoughtful person, that is my goal! She may be a tough coach, but she has a heart. Thank you so much for the encouraging words. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Guest - Thank you!

Anon - A lot more will be revealed in this chapter! I hope it answers some of your questions. Thank you so much for reviewing and reading!

banjojd - I think you, along with many others, will like where Quinn will be placed! Thank you so much for reviewing!

Dorothy - Your instincts are on the right track! I am so happy you are enjoying this story! It means so much! Thank you for continuing to read and review!

**I'm so sorry for the delay! I had a lot of scenes planned for this chapter and I kept on rewriting all of them. Thank you for all the kind words and reviews. It really means a lot. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. All of you predicted where Quinn will be placed. Also, a whole lot more will be revealed in this chapter. Thanks again and enjoy!**

_"You... you think that this is really going to work out?" Jesse asked. The boy was surprised to hear this coming out of Quinn's mouth. He didn't know the girl even had it in her. "I mean... this is going to take time... a lot of time... time I don't think I have."_

_Quinn nodded. "I believe... I know that this will work." A beat. "Just think about it, Jesse. You would be able to perform again and teach and, at the same time, you would be able to get back at Shelby. It's a win-win-win situation." The girl nervously shifted in her spot. She needed to get home soon. Her mother would be walking through the door at any moment. "Listen, Jesse. I know you, believe it or not. You are not going to just throw all your talent away and I am willing to bet you are still pretty fucking pissed. News gets around. You have just enough experience to pull this off. Just... don't even think twice about this. Just do it, okay? I can help you... when I'm not doing chores or attending stupid crash courses or picking up other people's shit along the highway, or whatever. I'll recruit people for you!" The girl hoped that Jesse was catching everything she was saying because she was talking fast. "Jesse, I- I have to go now, but... just... we can figure something out."_

_"Why do you want to help me?" Jesse asked. "Why? We should be enemies."_

_"Well," Quinn began, "I need the money and I know... well, you have money and... I'm.. I would feel embarrassed to ask someone else and... it's not like I have time now to get a job... or whatever."_

_"You have yourself a deal," Jesse said finally as he reached out to shake the girl's hand. "I can't get you the money right now, but... tomorrow, maybe? After school?"_

_"Okay, but it has to be fast," Quinn said as she stood up and wiped her hands on her pants. Before the blonde walked away, she turned around. "Thank you, Jesse. Please... don't mention this to anyone else."_

_The boy nodded and watched as Quinn started picking up the pace back to her house. "Brilliant," Jesse said under his breath. He hoped this girl knew what she was talking about and that she was going to stay true to her word. It wasn't a significant amount of money he would be losing, in his eyes, but if this didn't work out, he would make sure she paid back every cent._

_As Quinn jogged home she started having second thoughts. Was this going to work? Or was Jesse just going to be a total jackass as usual? She didn't know, but this was the first plan that popped into her mind and she had to take action._

_The girl reached her house and sighed with relief, her mother wasn't home yet. Quinn slipped inside her house and got ready for bed, already planning how she was going to get Rachel to join Jesse's Glee Club._

Everyone held their breath. Who was going to be their new coach? Was it going to be a man or a woman? How old? How young? Did this person like working with kids? Was this person ever on Broadway? Did this person have a good taste in music? Did anyone on the team know this new coach? Had they ever competed against this person?

"Well?" Nicole called out, clearly annoyed. She did not appreciate the woman's pause for dramatic effect. She wanted to know whether or not it was worth staying on the team. Yes, she was dramatic herself, but she dedicated her entire life to this team. One horrible coach, and there would go her chance of making it to her dream college - NYU.

"You're new coach," Shelby said as she scanned everyone in front of her, "is named April Rhodes."

"What kind of name is that?" one student called out. Who names their child after a month?

The woman held her hand up and squeezed her eyes shut. _No_, she thought to herself, _don't do this to me now, not now._ "Don't give me that crap," Shelby spat. "April Rhodes is extremely talented and has taken more risks than any of you might take in your life. If you don't believe me, YouTube, Twitter... whatever, just... give her a chance.. for me... and for yourselves. I would love to stand in front of all of you and praise the woman, but you just need to see her in person for yourself.. and hear her sing." A beat. "Speaking of which, rehearsals start up again tomorrow after school."

Shelby wasn't getting a positive or a negative response. Everyone kind of just... stood there.

"April Rhodes... she is probably the smallest woman you will ever meet, but... she has the biggest heart and she gives 110%. I... I've worked with her multiple times. She definitely gives me a run for my own money. And," Shelby said as she walked through the group, eyeing them, "I want... I expect you to give this woman respect and treat her kindly. I will be checking in and if I hear that you tried to glue her ass to a chair or put laxatives in her drinks, you all know what will happen."

"We're going to miss you," Lexi said, stepping forward, trying to break the tension. She didn't know what would happen, but then again, she was new. Surprise, surprise.

"I am going to miss each and every one of you," Shelby said with a warm smile. "But, like I said before, I will be back and I will be cheering all of you on at every competition and I will try to set up some gigs for you here and there."

The woman was truly going to miss coaching, but it was time for a change. Time to breathe new air and time to reconnect with her daughter.

"Oh," Shelby began, "and if you just can't get enough of me, I will be holding private vocal lessons at my house. The same standards apply. Come unprepared and I will ask you to leave," the woman tried to offer everyone an encouraging smile as she hugged everyone.

"Now, before you all go home and devour endless amounts of dairy now that competition season is over, I want you all to think about something for me. I don't want to sound all cliche and all, but I want to share a quote with all of you... a quote that helped me become... well, who I am today. Bernadette Peters once said, _"You've gotta be original, because if you're someone else, what do they need you for?"_ Now, that quote... it speaks to me and it should speak to all of you. I get it, high school is tough. You've got college, friends, horrible teachers, and well... just trying to find yourselves. But, please, please be yourself and don't allow someone to change you. I'll be honest, most pportunities will not get handed to you, you've got to take risks, push boundaries, and make a name for yourself. Go exploring. You'll be rejected and you will find yourself being pushed to a breaking point, but, I promise that it will all be worth it and that you can achieve your wildest dreams."

...

Kurt groaned as he looked at the time. How much longer? He felt like he had been stuck in this room for hours on end. He smelled absolutely disgusting and he was not rocking this... whatever he was wearing. It was very unflattering and totally clashed with his skin tone.

"Kurt!" Burt called out from under a car as he stuck his hand out, signaling for a tool. "Any day now."

"Right!" Kurt said as he handed his dad a wrench. "Sorry."

Kurt's mind was racing from earlier that day. It was a blur... just a blur of big words and a woman dressed in a black rope and emotionless looks. The boy sighed as he hoisted himself up on a table, his legs swinging. He suddenly could not wait to go back to school tomorrow. He generally hated that place with a burning passion. The boy was counting down the days until summer and then _high school_. Just under a month.

"Kurt!" Burt snapped again. "Come on, man. I really could use a hand here."

"Which one?" Kurt joked flatley.

"Kurt, please," Burt said from under the car, "I really need to finish up this job before we close for the day."

"Sorry," Kurt mumbled as he reached for a rag and handed it to his father. He was trying to pay attention and actually seem interested in cars, but it wasn't working. It was like his brain had a mind of its own. The boy wanted to make his father happy, but cars, well, that wasn't his calling. What Kurt wanted to do was perform. He wanted to tell stories. He wanted to be himself and not someone else.

"Well," Burt said as he got to his feet, "let's call it for a day, shall we?"

The boy nodded and darted for the door. He needed to shower and get this crap off of him. He was certain he would have to take at least three showers before the smell of gasoline went away.

"Not so fast," Burt called out as he caught up to his son. "I just want to remind you that your community service starts tomorrow." Kurt groaned. "Hey now, don't give me that attitude. Tomorrow is just a day for all you... _bad asses_ to get to know each other," his father held up a rockstar sign with his hand.

"Ugh! DAD!" Kurt whined as he watched a few workers who were just leaving pass them, "don't _ever_ say that! And don't do that ever again! You're so embarrassing!"

"That's my job! Burt said with a chucked. "Now, get washed up, you smell."

...

"Quinn?" Shelby asked as she reached out for the girl's hand. "Quinn? Sweetheart?"

"Yeah?" Quinn said barely over a whisper.

The blonde couldn't believe it. She was at Shelby's. She was going to be staying at Shelby's. Of all the people, she was placed with this woman. The girl didn't even know if this woman was qualified to do this, let alone, had time for this. Quinn barely knew the woman, just that Rachel look up to her. The girl couldn't even remember what the judge had told her... just that this was temporary and that she would be able to go back home soon. Quinn was embarrassed. She could take care of herself. She didn't need.. _this_.

"Quinn," Shelby said. "I know that... well, this must be so difficult for you, but, I am here to help you, in whatever way I can." A beat. "This doesn't mean we have to be friends right now, or ever, but for the time being, you are stuck with me."

The girl really didn't know what to say. She felt uncomfortable and well, awkward. She didn't know if she had a bedtime or if Shelby was going to add on to her groundings or if Shelby had spoken to her mother. Or Russell?

Quinn sighed as she glanced at the clock above the stove. It was almost 10. She had school tomorrow. Did she have to walk there? Or would the woman give her a ride. The girl hated this. She didn't know what was going on. She didn't know what was expected of her.

"Well," Shelby said as she got up from her seat and walked to the sink, "I guess I should tell you how this is going to work."

"Okay," the girl said wearily.

"For starters, you will have a curfew of 9:00, sharp. Just because you are living under my roof now, doesn't mean you are free of your groundlings your mother gave you, those are still free game; however, adjustments can be made. I will give you rides to school in the morning, but you will have to wake up earlier than usual seeing that I will need to drop you off at the middle school and then drive to Carmel in time for me to teach class."

The girl wondered if she should be taking notes. She was too drained and she was sure she wouldn't be able to remember half of what the woman was telling her.

"Also," Shelby continued, "you will be expected to help around the house, but nothing more than helping clear the dinner table and such." A beat. "I understand that your mother said no cell phone for a month, but personally, I think that is a bit excessive." The woman looked at the girl carefully, "If you got into any trouble, it would be hard to get ahold of me, wouldn't it?" The blonde nodded. "So, here is my compromise. I will let you have your cell phone, but come 9, I will take it. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Quinn said.

"Please, you can call me Shelby."

The woman sensed that the Quinn was uneasy. Shelby dried her hands with a towel and walked back to the girl.

"Quinn, I can understand if this is confusing for you right now and... and a bit uncomfortable. The reason why..." the woman took a deep breath, "the reason why you are here... with me and not say... Rachel or Kurt or even a home is because this... this was your father's request."

"What?" Quinn yelped as she jumped to her feet. "My father? Russell Fabray? You're kidding right?" The woman shook her head. "We must be talking about a different Russell Fabray. I mean, come on, there are definitely more than one Russell Fabrays." The blonde began pacing. "My dad... my father... he left us... he left my mother... for god knows what!" Quinn threw her hands up in the air. "No. NO! This is all wrong. Did you talk to him? Did he... is he here?"

"Quinn, Quinn!" Shelby tried. "Your father... he did... yes, well he... he requested that you be placed under my care by chance that your mother would be unable to care for you because-"

"Because he knew this would happen and that's why he left." With that Quinn stormed off to her room.

When Shelby heard the guest bedroom door slam she took a long shaky breath. Things could only go up from here, right?

...

"Daddy?" Rachel called out to her father as he peeked her head into her father's bedroom. "Daddy?"

"Yeah, Rach?" Hiram replied. Rachel was standing in the doorway with her hands behind her back. "What's behind your back?" Hiram asked as he sat up. She didn't look guilty, so he didn't think she had been hiding something from him and now wanted to fess up.

"Oh," Rachel said as she revealed a photo album. "I just thought that... well, I... I just thought that maybe I could help you out and all... you know, help you remember." A beat. "I thought that I could show you some pictures of friends and family and stuff."

Hiram was smiling ear to ear. "I would love that, sweetie."

"Great!" Rachel said as she sat next to Hiram. "Let's start at the very beginning... it's a very good place to start."

Rachel was true to her word. She indeed started at the very beginning. She showed Hiram pictures from ultrasounds and candid pictures of Shelby singing to her stomach and pictures of Shelby showing off the baby bump. She showed him pictures from the baby shower. Rachel showed pictures from the day she was born. Hiram chuckled when he saw these blackmail pictures of Shelby covered in sweat and swearing at the camera. At one point, there was a blank spot.

"Where did that picture go?" Hiram asked, pointing to the empty spot on the page.

"Oh... I don't know," Rachel said with a shrug. "Must have slipped out somewhere." What she really wanted to say that was that she had taken that picture out to give to Shelby.

Rachel continued, showing the man of pictures of Rachel's first sink bath, Rachel's first bite, Rachel's first toy, Rachel's first steps, her first birthday, and so on. The girl also showed the father pictures of Rachel asleep and pictures of her on the first day of preschool and her first day of dance.

One third of the way through the album, Rachel closed the book. "I think... that's enough for the day, don't you think?"

"I agree," Hiram said as he stretched out on the bed. "Thank you, Rachel, really, you don't know how much this means to me. I really believe that it helped jog some memories."

"You're welcome, daddy," Rachel said as she snuggled up closer to her father." A beat. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Rach?" there was something about her voice that seemed off.

"Daddy... can I..."

"No, Rachel, you cannot go out. Nice try."

The little girl pouted her bottom lip out. "But, daddy-"

"No Rach, I'm sorry. Get ready for bed, okay? Your community starts tomorrow."

"Fine," Rachel said as she slipped off the bed.

"I love you."

"I love you, daddy."

The girl sighed as she slipped into bed. It was worth a try. What the girl was really focused on at the moment was her community service. What if she got killed? What if she got hurt? Would her friends be with her? She shook her head as she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.

Hiram rolled to his side and felt the empty spot where Leroy slept. He never felt so alone and disconnected. He did, though, appreciate everything people were doing for him to help him jog his memory. As hard as he tried, the last memory he had was with Shelby, the night she left after Rachel was born.

...

Leroy sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. There was nothing on TV. Absolutely _nothing._ He was so close to just ripping the IV out of his hand and making a beeline for the door. No one had come in to check on him and he liked it that way. Just then the phone rang.

"Hello?"  
_"Leroy? Is that you?"_  
"Judy?"  
A beat. _"How are you?"_  
"Good. And you?"  
_"Good."_  
Another beat. "Judy... why... why are you doing this?"  
_"Doing what, Leroy? Calling you? Is it a crime to want to check in?"_  
"No."  
_"We/?"_  
"I'm fine... thank you for asking. I just... I'm looking forward to coming home."  
_"I should go, Leroy. Feel better."_  
"Thank you."  
_"Good bye, Leroy."_

...

_"Quinn?" Judge Cardwell pushed. "Do you have any questions?"_

_"No," Quinn whispered. She didn't. Judge Cardwell just informed her that she would be staying at Shelby Corcoran's for a bit. How and why? The girl still didn't understand. She didn't know what to say or if she was expected to say anything._

_"Well," the woman said gently, "Shelby should be here very soon."_

_"Okay," Quinn said softly as she fiddled with the hem on her dress._

_It only was a few minutes after when there was a light knock on the door. Before that, Quinn and Judge Cardwell had been sitting in complete silence._

_"Ah," the woman said getting up, "that must be her." The judge got up from her spot to open the door. The blonde straighten her back when she saw Shelby Corcoran enter the room._

_"Hello, Quinn," Shelby said gently._

_"Hello, Miss. Corcoran," Quinn said nervously._

_"Well, if any of you have questions, please, do not hesitate to ask," Judge Cardwell said. "My office is always open."_

_"Thank you," Shelby said as she shook the woman's hand. "Are you ready to go, Quinn?"_

_The blonde nodded. She got up and turned the thank Judge Cardwell._

_"We'll be in touch," Shelby said over her shoulder as the two left._

...

Shelby Corcoran played a few keys on the piano while she waited for her first student, Jesse St. James. The woman was wracking her brain for some way to reach out to Quinn and make her feel welcome. She did not expect the girl to blow up at the mention of her father. The woman thought that the girl would be happy. Shelby made a mental note to try to talk to the girl about it and see why she reacted the way she did.

The sound of the doorbell ringing pulled the woman from her thoughts.

"Jesse," Shelby said as she opened the door, "it's nice to see you. Please, come in."

"Thank you, Shelby, Jesse said as he gave the woman a hug.

"You can just head right up the steps to the second floor," Shelby said as she pointed to the stairs.

"Wow," the boy said with awe, "this is even better than I remembered."

The woman only chuckled. "Well, I suppose I've made a few adjustments, but not much has changed since you've last been here."

"Shelby," Jesse said as he turned the face the woman, "thank you... for doing this... for... for being willing to coach me and help out and stuff. It- it means a whole lot."

"It's my pleasure," Shelby said with a smile. "Now, shall we get started? Did you do your homework?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Jesse said as he straightened his back. "I've picked out a ballad and an up-tempo, that show off my show face," Jesse said as she flashed a 100-watt smile. "And I did my research on the songs."

"Great!" Shelby said as she clapped her hands together. "Let's get started! You know the drill"

Jesse cleared his throat and stood near the piano. "Today, I will be singing the song 'All That's Known,' from the rock musical, Spring Awakening, which won eight Tonys in 2007." Shelby nodded her head as Jesse sat at the piano bench.

The woman was impressed with Jesse's first selection. Shelby didn't even know that Jesse could speak another language, let alone, english, but she applauded his risk and the fact that he was still coming to her for lessons.

_"Litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto_  
_Vi superum, saevae memorem lunonis ob iram_  
_Multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem_  
_Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris_  
_Italiam fato profugus Laviniaque venit_

_All that's know_  
_In history, in science_  
_Overthrown_  
_At school, at home, by blind men..."_

...

"Hello Vocal Adrenaline! How are we doing today?" a powerful voice called from the back of the auditorium. No one moved. What the hell was that? Or who was that? Was this just some sick joke?

"What the fuck was that" Nicole whispered to someone next to her.

"Don't be shy! Everyone, please, please, step forward! Let me see all your sparkling faces!" the voice called out again. Where was that voice coming from? Who was that?

One by one, a few people stepped into the spotlight, anxious to see who this ball of energy was.

"Now that's more like it!" the voice called out again. "My name is April Rhodes and I will be your new coach," the voice continued. As the woman continued speaking the group could see a small petite woman walking down the aisle. At first, she was hard to see because she was in the back, but as she came into the light, everyone's mouths dropped open. _This_ woman was their new coach?

"Now, I know what all your little thespians are thinking, how can this woman," April pointed to herself, "coach all of you giants?" A beat. "Right? Am I right? I know I'm right. Well, have you ever heard the saying, don't judge a book by its cover? Don't answer that, that was rhetorical" A few people nodded. "Well, that's what I am asking you all to do. Just because I am smaller than all of you, doesn't mean I have the power to whip all of your asses because I can and I will. Now, Shelby is a tough coach, but I bring tough to a whole new level."

The entire room was silent. No one knew what to do or if they should move. Could this woman really whip their asses?

"Now that our introduction is over, all of you sit your little patooties in those lovely seats over there and I am going to sing you a song. Go, go on now. We don't have all day. Chop chop!" Once everyone was seating, April Rhodes took center stage. "I am going to put all of you to shame," April said with a smirk. She was only joking, really, but judging by their looks, they weren't getting the joke. A beat. "Okay, seriously people, I am only joking! Geez, can't ya'll get a joke?" Nothing. "Tough crowd."

April pursed her lips and then snapped her fingers together and 'Adelaide's Lament' started.

...

"Well, are you ready?" Kurt said to Quinn and Rachel as they stood in front of a huge cement. building.

"Let's just get this over with," Quinn said as she took a step forward. She wasn't afraid. This large building didn't scare her.

"Rach?" Kurt asked the small brunette who had a deer in the headlights look.

"I'm fine. Let's... let's just stick together."

Once the three were seated, they didn't look at anyone else around them. They were in what looked like a cell block. Hell. They weren't going to make it out alive. This was how it all was going to end. There wasn't a single window. There was no light.

The room was about halfway full. There was a woman with multi-colored hair who was picking at her nails. A man who kept spitting in a can and a man who had tattoos littering his arms. There was a young woman with her hands in her lap, her eyes trained to the ground. And there was another woman who was looking around the room like a lost puppy dog. There was another man, more like a young teenager who looked familiar, but none of the kids could put a name to his face.

Did this boy go to their school? Where had they seen him?

"Well," Rachel whispered, "this can't be too bad. I mean, these people seem... nice."

Before Quinn was able to give the girl a lecture about the dangers of trusting everyone too quickly, their teacher walked in. Their teacher was a middle aged woman who looked as though she could be a wrestler.

"Hello, my name is Dot Jones," the voice boomed.

Someone scoffed. "What kind of name is _that?_" It was the boy that the three thought they had seen somewhere.

"Excuse me, young man, and who might you be?"

"Puck," the boy said as he nodded his head and put his feet on the table.

"Well, _Puck,_" Dot said. "What kind of name is _that_?" A beat. "Now," the woman said as as she stood in front of the class and crossed her arms, "I don't want to be here and I am willing to bet, neither do all of you. You follow the rules and don't murder each other and this can be the best few months of your lives, or the worst." Dot reached behind her and handed a pile of paper to the person in front of her. "Here is a list of rules that, if any of you fail to follow, will result in you adding more hours to your community service." For a woman, she had a lot of power. "Now, I don't care why you are here or how crappy your lives are. You are here because you broke the rules and you did something idiotic. I'm not here to be your friend, but be my guest and become friends with each other. Have little pow-wows after this." Dot began to walk up and down the aisles with her hands behind her back. "I expect all of you to arrive on time, you must wear your uniforms and then return them when you complete all your hours. Fail to do so and a bill will be sent home."

Dot walked back to her desk and started handing out faded blue vests to each person and continued talking...

"Puck... that name sounds so familiar," Rachel said to Kurt and Quinn. "Where have I seen that kid...?"

"That idiot goes to our school," Quinn said through her teeth as she glared at the boy.

"Excuse me?" one woman said as she raised her hand nervously. It was the woman who had, had her eyes trained to the ground.

"Yes, oh frighten one?" Dot addressed.

"Oh- I... what... what if we have to go to... to the bathroom? Are we allowed to go or do we need to ask for permission." Everyone groaned, this girl was going to be _that_ person.

"Then just pull down your pants and let it rip," Dot said and continued talking.

...

Once April Rhodes hit the last note, it was dead silent. You could hear a pin drop. No one breathed.

"Now, come on, I wasn't that bad! Applaud!" April said with the smile as the lights came up.

Instantly, everyone began clapping and cheering and jumped to their feet. This woman was, indeed, like Shelby said, amazing. She was perfect. Where did out that power come from? She had Broadway splattered all over her.

"Holy shit, she is fucking amazing," Nicole said to the person next to her. "Just... fucking awesome!"

"Thank you, thank you," April said as she took a bow. The woman waited for the applause to settle down before she started speaking again. "Now, please, settle down. I look forward to getting to work with all of you, you look like a good bunch. Because I don't know all of you that well, I would like us to have a... let's say... a sing off! I would like to hear each of you sing by yourselves just so I get see what I am working with. I would like all of you to have a song prepared by tomorrow. Also, I'm not sure if Shelby told you guys this, but three day from now we will be going to the middle school to put on a little performance. With the seniors leaving, we will need more people on the team, I would love to spark the interests of the little fetuses to come and audition. Sound good?"

"Who will have a solo?" Nicole called out. She was hoping it would be her. The girl had not had a solo in such a long time. Lexi had the spotlight and now it was her turn.

"That will be determined after I hear all of you sing. I might hear something different that Shelby didn't hear." A beat. "Also, Shelby will join me when auditions start, she knows what she is doing and I don't want to let her down. Besides, she is intimidating and I like to smell fear. Now, all of you go home and wow me tomorrow and please, try to bring something new and refreshing to the table. You are all dismissed."

With that, everyone began to file out, whispering to each about the new coach. No one really knew what to think of her, but then again, it was only the first day.

"Miss. Rhodes?" Lexi said as she stood behind April.

"You must be... Lexi," April said with a smile and shook the girl's hand. "I saw your last performance, you were great. Shelby told me to look out for you."

"Oh, she did?" Lexi said with a smile. Shelby talked about her? "Well, I just wanted to introduce myself and say that I am excited to have you as our coach."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," April said as she gathered her things together. "I look forward to hearing you sing tomorrow. Take care,"

...

Shelby took a deep breath as she sat down. Her vocal lesson with Jesse had gone extremely well. He was prepared as usual and always surprised her. These lessons took a lot out of the woman, but she loved every minute of it and it paid the rent. Shelby glanced at the time, her next student would be here at any moment, Lexi.

There was a light knock on the door. _Right on time_, Shelby said to herself with a smile.

"Lexi, hello," the woman said as she stepped to the side so the girl could come in. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you. And you?"

"Wonderful, thank you for asking." A beat. "Shall we get started?" the woman asked as the two climbed the stairs.

The girl nodded. She was nervous, she hoped she was prepared enough. She did a ton of research on each of her songs. She just hoped that she picked the _right_ songs.

"So," Shelby said as she sat down next to the piano, "what do you think of April Rhodes?"

"Oh, she is fantastic!" Lexi gushed. "Her voice is just... amazing! You were right! She has a lot of energy, but I think... well, I don't know. I'm- I'm interested in seeing what she brings."

Shelby smiled to herself. She was _always_ right. April was going to be the perfect fit.

"What song will you be singing first today?"

"Ingrid Michaelson's cover of 'Can't Help Falling in Love,'" the girl said with confidence.

...

_"Shelby!" Hiram called out. Where was that woman? She had been hiding in her room all day. "Shelby?" Hiram called out for a second time._

_"Up here!" Shelby responded. As Hiram went in the direction of where the voice came from, he could hear the piano playing. It was a familiar tune. As he got closer, he recognized the song from Les Miserables, a stunning musical that the woman had forced the two men to see._

_"What are you doing?" Hiram asked gently as he sat down next to the woman._

_"I'm singing to Rachel," Shelby said quietly._

_"Rachel?"_

_"If she was mine... if it was my decision," Shelby said as she put her hand on her stomach, "I would name her Rachel."_

_"Rachel... I like that," Hiram said with a smile._

_The man noticed a tape recorder on top of the piano and lifted it up, giving the woman a questioning look._

_"I'm... it's... it's for Rachel. You know, so... she... so she won't," Shelby could feel tears welling up. "I'm sorry- I'm not... I'm not getting cold feet, I swear... I promise. I'm just-"_

_"I know," Hiram said lightly into the woman's ear as he wrapped his arms around the woman. "I know. I'll give this to Rachel when she is old enough. You will always have her, Shelby. Always."_

_Shelby pulled herself away from Hiram and began singing and playing the piano:_

_I dreamed a dream in days gone by_  
_When hope was high and life worth living_  
_I dreamed that love would never die_  
_I dreamed that God would be forgiving_

_Then I was young and unafraid_  
_And dreams were made and used and wasted_  
_There was no ransom to be paid_  
_No song unsung, no wine untasted..._

...

_Lexi pulled into a parking spot at the Lima Bean. About half an hour before she had gotten a text message from Jesse, asking her to meet him at the Lima Bean. The girl assumed to was something Vocal Adrenaline related or maybe school, so the girl told him she could be there in ten._

_"Lexi! Over here!" the girl heard Jesse call out._

_The girl quickly walked to where the boy was sitting and sat down._

_"Hey, Jesse," Lexi said. "What's up?"  
_  
_"Lexi," Jesse said seriously, "I'm going to tell you something... propose something and I don't want you to say anything. Nothing. Not a word until I finish because I know you will have questions and.. doubts, but just hear me out and please, give me a chance to say when I need say."_

_"Okay..." Lexi said. She had a feeling Jesse was not going to talk about Vocal Adrenaline._

_"Ever since Shelby kicked me off the team, I just... all I wanted to do was get back on that stage... and well, back at her," the girl nodded. She understood that. "So, I... I just had this brilliant idea, but it can't happen... it won't happen unless I get support, a lot of support. I picked you, Lexi, to help me because you have talent and I know that you would be great for the team."_

_"Team?"_

_"I've decided to start my own Glee Club."_

_"Jesse, I can't I-"_

_"I know, you have Vocal Adrenaline, but wouldn't it be so much cooler to start fresh... to be apart of a new team with new talent?"_

_"I don't know, Jesse-"_

_"Just listen," Jesse said. He needed to find a way to convince this girl to join his team. "I know that you just joined Vocal Adrenaline, but I saw the way those horrible people treated you-"_

_"They weren't that bad... I mean-"_

_"Lexi, you are the sweetest person. You wouldn't hurt a fly. I know that you probably felt ostracized and still do, but that's what will be great about joining my team. Everyone will be on the same page." A beat. "We'll get better gigs and get to sing better songs. Shelby doesn't even coach Vocal Adrenaline anymore. Now that she is gone, that team's reputation will go down the drain."_

_"April seems-"_

_"But that's not the point. Everyone knows that Shelby isn't coaching, that means they are going to step up their game to take you guys down and try to be the new best choir out there. If people find out that we are collaborating, we will have hundreds of people wanting to join our team." A beat. "We could be... essentially, famous, the new and improved Vocal Adrenaline. Just think about it, okay, Lexi? Think of this as a new opportunity. Think of it as a chance to really show the world what you can do... what we can do."_

...

"Rachel? Is that you?" Hiram called out as he heard the door open and close. He checked the time. Rachel must be finished. That was quick, he thought to himself.

"Daddy! Where's my bedazzler?" Rachel called out as she scrambled up the steps.

"Excuse me?" Hiram called out.

"I need my bedazzler," Rachel said again as she began rummaging through her things, tossing unwanted items over her back.

"Woah, slow down, sweetie," Hiram said as he placed a hand on the girl's back.

"No, daddy, I need to find it! I need to find it because that stupid uniform... vest, whatever... they gave us smells and it looks ugly. I need to make it pretty because I'll feel ugly wearing that,"

"Hey now," Hiram said as he eyed the vest that was thrown on the girl's bed. "It doesn't look that bad." No response. "So I'm guessing the first day didn't go well?"

Rachel found what she was looking for and turned to face her father. "It was fine. It was whatever. I just want to get this over with. I just- I can't believe that this is happening. This is happening to me and Kurt... and Quinn. This was all a mistake."

"Rach-"

"No, daddy, I let you down and dad and now... now I'll have a record and when people... if they see me on the highway cleaning or whatever, they will judge me and-"

"Stop that right now, Rachel," Hiram said firmly. "I love you, you know I do. I will alway love you and no one is going to judge you. In fact, years from now, you might even get a kick out of this. Think of what an awesome story this will be."

The girl shrugged. She didn't think it was that funny.

"Why don't we bedazzle this up and you can tell me all about it," Hiram said with a smile. He knew the girl needed cheering up.

...

"Shelby?" Quinn called out as she walked inside.

_"Yes, okay, no- I have to go,"_ Shelby said into the receiver. _"No, I really- I have to go. I'll call you later, okay? Yeah... okay, bye"_

"Who was that?" Quinn asked when saw the woman hang up the phone.

"Wrong number," Shelby said with a shrug. A beat. "How did it go?"

"I don't know. Weird, I guess. Our teacher is freaky and so are all the people. Plus, it smells. I'm going to need a whole new wardrobe after this."

"Well, it'll be over before you know it," the woman said as she ushered Quinn into the kitchen.

"I hope so,"

"So, for dinner, I was thinking... breakfast for dinner. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great," Quinn said. "Do... do you need any help?"

On the way home, Quinn made up her mind to give the woman a second chance. The more she thought about it, the more she was glad it was Shelby. The woman was truly trying and if she could tell her more about Russell, well, that might answer some of the questions the girl had.

"Sure!" Shelby said brightly. "Why don't you start cracking some eggs into the pan."

...

_"She's beautiful," Leroy said._

_"I know," Judy said with a smile. "She's growing up so fast. You know, she is going to be a cheerleader when she gets older."_

_"Really?"  
_  
_The woman nodded. "She was tumbling before she was walking and talking."_

_"Like mother, like daughter," Leroy said with a smile as she planted a light kiss on the woman's temple._

_Judy was so proud of her daughter. She had high expectations for the girl, but she never doubted Quinn. She was a good girl and always listened._

_"You know, Judy... I never really got the chance to thank you-"_

_"Don't, Leroy, you really don't have to thank me. If the roles were switched, you would have done the same for me."_

_"Well, I owe you one. If you need anything... hold this against me."_

_"Alright," Judy said as she slipped the picture of Quinn back into her wallet. "I will."_

**Again, so sorry this is out late. I wanted to get this out earlier, but I took a day trip to NYC with my mom to see Once the Musical, which was fantastic! Again, thank you for all the support and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for any typos.**


	12. Chapter 12

sdmwd1115 - I apologize that I made you confused. I hope this chapter will clear some of those questions. If you have any other additional, please feel free to PM me. Thanks for reviewing!

Guest - There will be more Rachel/Shelby in this chapter! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Dee - Sorry for the confusion! I hope things will clear up a bit in this chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

Guest - Thank you so much for all the encouraging words! It means a lot!

BroadwayNeon - 'A beat' means a pause. Thanks for reviewing.

Guest - Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

caseyrn12 - You don't need to apologize! Thank you for all the reviews! April will definitely push the kids differently and bring something new and needed to the table. Jesse can be a real pain. He's a fighter, though. I really wanted to introduce more of the characters and I thought that it'd be great to introduce Puck as the badass he is portrayed as in season one. Thank you again for all your kind words.

Gleeks09 - Thank you again for all your kind words. It's very encouraging. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I plan to reveal a lot. Thank you!

**Sorry for the delay! I apologize if many of you were confused after reading the last chapter. I promise... or, I hope, that it will all start to come together very soon. I was iffy about the amount of plot I put in the last chapter, but again, it will come together.**

**Also, I know that some of you want this to be about solely Rachel and Shelby, and it will be, I promise, but Shelby is fighting to get Rachel and it won't be easy, so there will be chapters where she doesn't have any contact with her.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for all the support!**

Quinn waited anxiously just outside the choir room. Jesse St. James was supposed to meet her here and he was late, as usual. _Come on_, the thought to herself as she glanced up and down the hallway. Nothing. The girl looked at the time. School had been out for ten minutes. If he's not here in five minutes, she thought, I'm leaving and when I see him, I'm going to kick his ass.

"Quinn!" the girl heard a voice call out. That voice was definitely too high to be guys. It was Rachel. What was she doing here? "Quinn!" Rachel called out again as she jogged towards the blonde. "What are you doing outside the choir room?"

"Just waiting for a friend," Quinn said as she looked around in case anyone saw her conversing with an outsider.

"Oh," Rachel said as she reached for the handle on the door. "Well, do you want me to wait with you? I'll be here for a bit I'm working on a few auditions songs for Glee Club. I really want to audition and if I want any chance at making the team, I have to practice, a lot and work on my endurance! Shelby said that-"

"Nonsense, you don't have to do that," Quinn said casually as she shifted on her feet. "Actually, I was just about to get going. I must have gotten the time wrong or something." The blonde didn't want Rachel to know what she was doing, actually, she didn't know what the girl would think if she found out. "Thanks, though," Quinn added. The blonde bit her lip. Should she tell the girl that she was staying with Shelby? Or maybe the woman had told the girl already and just didn't phased by that.

"Okay, well, I'll see you tomorrow," Rachel said as she stepped into the room.

Quinn watched as the girl pulled out a pink binder that was covered in gold stars. _What a surprise._ The brunette opened the binder carefully and shifted through some of the papers until she found what she was looking for. Then, she gently placed the sheet music on the piano as if it might break. Rachel tucked her skirt under herself and sat down at the piano. Before the girl was able to play a single note on the piano, Quinn interrupted, she had to tell the girl, regardless if she knew or not.

"Rach,"

"Yeah?" the girl turned around. "You're still here? Did you change your mind? Are you going to audition too? I think you should because-"

The blonde shook her head. "Rachel, I need to tell you something," Quinn said as she took a deep breath and stepped forward. "I'm- well, you know how... well- okay... you know how the judge... Judge Cardwell spoke to me after the...?" the brunette nodded. "Well, she... you know how... well, you all think that my mother is... she shouldn't-"

"We all suspected something was up," Rachel said as she traced her fingers along the keys.

"Okay, well... Judge Cardwell, she... she... well, my father... he- he wanted... if anything were to happen to my mother, he said... he-"

"Quinn," Rachel said anxiously. She was nervous about what the blonde was going to tell her. What if she was never going to see Quinn again? Would Quinn be going to the same high school as her next year? She needed to know.

"She.. he, he said that-" the blonde was stumbling over her words. She didn't know how to put this and she didn't know how the girl was going to react. Would she be mad? Sad? Angry?

"I knew it," Rachel said as tears blurred her vision, interrupting the blonde. "You're going to be placed in a home and I'm... Kurt and I... we are never going to see you again. Ever." Rachel got up from her seat to give Quinn a hug. She couldn't lose her best friend. Not like this. This just wasn't going to happen. She wouldn't allow it. She would speak to her parents about letting Quinn stay in her house. The girl could stay at her house and she was sure Kurt would let her stay over too.

"No! No... Rachel, that's not it," Quinn said as she tried to get a hold of Rachel. "It's well, it's good for me and- and it could be good for all of us," the blonde took a step back and closed her eyes. "My father, Russell... his request was that if something were to happen to Judy, I should live at Shelby's."

"Oh, that's great!" Rachel said with a sigh of relief as she gave Quinn a hug and then clapped her hands together. "That's really, _really_ good news." The blonde didn't hug back. Rachel wasn't getting the entire picture.

"Shelby Corcoran," Quinn said finally as she opened her eyes to meet the girl's gaze.

...

_"Shelby?" Russell called out, surprised, as he saw the woman walking in the opposite direction._

_The man was so surprised to see Shelby Corcoran. The last time he saw her was in the hospital, a year ago. The woman had, had a miscarriage. He was on call that night when he met Shelby Corcoran. The woman was beyond heartbroken and confused and so lost. What do you say to a woman who has lost something... someone so dear and special?_

_"Shelby Corcoran?" the man tried again._

_The woman turned around slowly. She knew that voice anywhere. Russell... Dr. Fabray. It had been over a year ago since they met. She was almost embarrassed to see him. But, as she recalled, he was extremely caring and considerate of her. He answered all her questions and made sure she was safe and comfortable. That night was a huge blurr. All the woman felt was pain and loss._

_When the woman had met him that night, she was alone and felt so exposed and felt so vulnerable. Well, she had someone, but that someone wasn't there. He had left. Just packed his things and got up and left. He left nothing behind and without a good excuse, but she wasn't alone. Dr. Fabray had been there, for her. Every time she felt herself dozing off he was there and when she woke up, he was there. It was as if he was watching over her._

_"Dr. Fabray?" Shelby Corcoran asked._

_"Hi," the man said as he gave the woman a warm smile and a hug. "You look good," the doctor said as he motioned to the woman's stomach._

_"Oh," Shelby said as she instinctively put her hand on her pregnant stomach. "How are you?"_

_Ever since her miscarriage, she didn't know what to do and what to fight for... who to fight for. She wasn't fighting for that little boy inside of her anymore. She wasn't fighting to keep herself healthy and alive, for that little boy. Then, something came up. An opportunity. Two men were looking for a woman to be their surrogate. All the medical bills would be covered, as well as a place to stay and, they were offering a pretty hefty price too, in exchange. Before Shelby Corcoran knew what she was doing, she picked up the phone to call Hiram and Leroy Berry._

_"I'm great, Shelby. And you?" the man motioned towards a spot for them to sit in the shade._

_The woman slowly sat down, grabbing her lower back. It was getting really hard to move around and go about her daily business._

_"You're pregnant," Dr. Fabray said with a smile. It was a fact._

_When Shelby left the hospital, he was sure she had given up, that she wasn't going to try again or even consider her other options. She was too distraught and too out of it. He had offered his place, but the woman declined. He didn't blame her though. Although he couldn't relate personally, he had seen women come in and out who had lost their child. He knew the look on Shelby's face. He wanted to say that things would get better because they would, it just didn't seem plausible at the time._

_Russell Fabray had a very stable home with a near wonderful wife, Judy, and a beautiful baby girl, Quinn. He loved Quinn and would take a bullet for her. She was a handful and difficult at times, but surprised him everyday. The man hated that his long work hours that kept him from her, but he loved coming home and tucking her into bed. Singing her to sleep. Or just rocking her, staring down at the beautiful girl. He loved when she clung onto him or when she smiled at him._

_"It's- it's not mine, really," Shelby said as she ran her fingers over her stomach. "It's... I'm doing this- I'm a surrogate."_

_"That's wonderful, Shel," Russell said with a smile._

_The woman only nodded. She wished this baby girl was hers, but she wasn't, and probably never would be._

_"Are you eating healthy? Getting enough sleep?" the doctor asked. He wanted to kick himself for asking. Shelby was a friend, not his patient right now. He was falling into his routine. These were just, of course, routine questions that he asked every patient._

_"Yes and yes," Shelby said with smirk. "How have you been?" the woman asked for a second time._

_"Good," Russell said. "Busy, but good."_

_"That's good," Shelby said as she rubbed her stomach. The two sat in silence, not sure of what to say next. The woman had to admit, she did miss Russell and wondered how he was doing at times. For weeks after she was discharged, she would Google Dr. Fabray everyday, reading about his accomplishments and how he delivered a set of twins in the most challenging environments._

_"I-"_

_"Shel," Russell cut in. "I'm so glad we ran into each other... you see, I have been meaning to get a hold of you." The woman raised her eyebrow. What could Russell possibly want from her? "This is not easy for me... I just- ever since... last year, I, well, honestly, I have thought about you and wondered how you were doing. And clearly, you are doing phenomenally."_

_"What-"_

_"Shelby, I need to ask you a huge favor, something that I can't really explain right now and I don't expect you to understand right now, but... I- it will make sense, it's just, I-" the doctor looked down at his hands. He was speaking barely over a whisper. "Please, just don't ask me any questions right now because I am still trying to figure out things myself... I'm trying to figure out what to do, but I am confident, I know that you can pull through,"_

_The woman raised her eyebrow. What was Russell trying to ask her? Where was he going with this? Would he have contacted her if they hadn't run into each other today?_

_After a while, the doctor raised his eyes and locked them with the woman's. "Shelby, if anything... and I mean anything were to happen, say to me... or if- if my wife... if she was unable to care for my baby girl, Quinn, Shelby- if anything were to happen, I'm asking you this... would you be Quinn's godmother?"_

_The woman opened her mouth, shocked. She shut it quickly. She was not expecting this. She wanted to ask the man a million and one questions, but she wanted to respect his request. Did he think something was going to happen to himself?_

_"I don't-"_

_"Please," Russell took Shelby's hands. "Please, Shelby, I don't know who else to ask."_

_"Why me?" the woman blurted out. "I'm sure there are other people who would do a hell of a better job than me. Honestly, I don't- I don't think I'm cut out for this... we- we barely know each other."_

_"That doesn't matter, Shelby," Russell said._

_"It should. Quinn- you're putting- she's your daughter. I don't-"_

_"Shelby, listen to me." Russell said as he looked directly into the woman's eyes. "I want you to take care of Quinn because when- when I took care of you, you had... you just had that... that mother feel. You are caring woman and compassionate. You need to stop doubting yourself. You are more than ready for this, whether you know it or not. I know you can do this-"_

_"You sound... so sure of yourself-"_

_"What?"_

_The woman took a deep breath. "You sound like... like... you sound as though something is going to happen-"_

_"I don't know, Shel," the doctor said as he squeezed the woman's hand. "I- I honestly think something is-" he shook his head. "Something is coming... you know, there is always a calm before the storm."_

...

"Goodbye, Lexi!" Shelby said with a smile as she waved goodbye to the girl. "Great start today! I'll see you next week. Please, do your homework!"

The woman watched as Lexi backed out of the driveway. She was just about to close the door when she saw her daughter who was obviously crying come sprinting to her doorstep. The girl looked exhausted. Shelby didn't blame her. She didn't live exactly close to her.

"Rachel?" the woman asked with concern. "Sweete, why are you-"

"DON'T!" Rachel sobbed as she skidded to a stop in front of Shelby. "DON'T! I don't understand! Why would you do this to me? Are you TRYING to replace me? Do you not want me anymore! What did I do? Why- why... this is my fault isn't it? I was so stupid to even think you wanted me! My dads were right! I-" the girl was trying to catch her breath, but she couldn't.

"Rachel," Shelby tried again as she reached toward Rachel, but the girl pulled away. "Rachel, talk to me, what's- where is this coming from?"

"You're kidding right?" Rachel yelled. "Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about! YOU, of ALL people should know exactly what I am talking about!"

"Rachel, I'm trying, sweetie, I'm trying to understand-"

"NO! You're not! You're just- just STOP!" Rachel sobbed as she took a step back, she was shaking. This was all a mistake, coming here, confronting Shelby. "I just, WHY? WHY HER? Why isn't it me?"

Shelby sighed. Now, she understand. She understood Rachel's behavior and she hated that it was happening like this. It wasn't like Shelby was hiding this from Rachel. It just happened. There wasn't- there hadn't been a good time to tell her. The woman wanted to wait and let Rachel spend time with Hiram, but she just made a bad call. Quinn must had told her, the woman thought to herself.

"Rach," Shelby said as she stepped closer to the girl. She wanted to hug her and tell her that it was going to be okay, but trying to calm down a teenage girl wasn't easy. At this most, most would just shut down and not even attempt to see the silver lining. "Please, step inside, you must- you must be tired. Just, give me a chance to explain everything. This, is not what you think is going to happen. Just-"

"NO!" Rachel sobbed. "NO! I don't want to hear what you have to say, I'm not interested. I get it. You like Quinn better. I have my dads, whatever. I can take care of myself. I can take care of Hiram and Leroy."

"Rachel!" Shelby yelled. She didn't like doing this, but she had to. She had to find a way to get the girl to listen to her. "I am _not_ leaving you! God, sweetie, I love you, I love you more than you will ever understand. I am never, _ever_ going to replace you. I'm-"

"Please," Rachel sobbed as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Don't. Don't try- I, I get it. You don't need to- I'm-"

"Sweetie," Shelby pulled Rachel into a hug and held her tight until she felt the give into the hug. The woman kissed the girl on top of the head. "Please, come inside, okay?"

Shelby pulled away from the hug and looked at her daughter in the eyes. The woman felt a pang in her chest. She hated that the girl was so confused and so lost. The woman had just got her and they had already started building a stable relationship, but now, that was crumbling.

"Rachel, please?"

"Okay," Rachel said over a whisper. "Okay."

Shelby walked into the kitchen and filled a glass of water for Rachel, who was lingered by the front door. The woman sighed as she walked back to the girl and guided her to the couch.

"Here," Shelby said as she handed Rachel the glass of water.

"Thanks," Rachel whispered.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. The woman leaned over to wipe away some of the girl's tears.

"Rachel," Shelby said as she pulled the girl into her lap. "I'm going to try to explain all of this and I want to listen very closely. Please, don't say anything until I finish. I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but sweetie, I thought that- this is my fault it's _not_ your fault, do you understand? ...I thought that it would be best for wait a little, but I was wrong. Don't be mad at Quinn. If there is someone you should be upset with, it's me." The brunette only nodded as she started to absentmindedly play with the ring on Shelby's ring finger.

"Okay," Rachel said as she leaned more into her mother.

"Quinn's father, Russell, we- we... he took care of me a very, very long time ago. Stuff happened and I needed to go to the hospital," the woman held her hand up to silence the girl. She knew the girl was going to want to know what happened, but Shelby wasn't ready to tell her that yet. "So, after I left, I stayed in contact with Russell... Mr. Fabray. He was very kind to me and helped me cope and find my way... kind of. After some time, we stopped talking. I don't know when or how... but just stopped talking. A few months after, I met your father's-"

"Hiram and Leroy?"

"Yes, I met them and they- they needed help. They wanted a baby. I helped them. When I first met them, I just- I knew they were ready for this... for you. They were more than ready and they were very welcoming. After some time, I ran into Mr. Fabray. You know? Just walking on the streets," the woman chuckled to herself. "Small world... anyway, we talked for a bit and caught up... then, he asked me to be his daughter-"

"Quinn,"

"Yes, Quinn. He asked me... sweetie, he asked me to be his daughter's godmother. Now," she held up her hand again, "there is more to his story, there is, but... I can't... I really can't explain it fully to you, I wish I could to help you understand, but that is something... you'll have to ask Quinn because it's not my story to tell."

"But-"

"Rachel, look at me," the woman shifted the girl on her lap to they were looking at each other. "Rachel, I am not replacing you. Quinn can't be with her mother right now and you know that. She needs someone, and that someone is me. You can help her too, but I don't want you to push her. She is already extremely uncomfortable as it is. Rachel, I love you and I will continue to fight for you. I-"

Suddenly, the woman stopped talking. Did Hiram know where Rachel was? Did Leroy? Rachel was grounded still, right? She was not allowed to leave the house, unless she asked for permission.

"Rachel, does your daddy know where you are?"

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but shut her mouth. She looked down at her hands and shook her head.

"Oh, geez," Shelby said as she reached for the phone. "You need to call your dad. Right now. He is probably worried sick, Rachel. You can't do that. You can't just run off. Something could happen-"

"I know that mom," Rachel said. "I know that. I learned my lesson, but I was just- I was mad and I was upset and I- I needed to talk to you- I need..."

"Okay, okay," Shelby said softly as she rubbed the girl's back. "I'll talk to your daddy for you. Why don't you get washed up, upstairs, okay?"

The girl hesitated. "He's-"

"He won't be mad once I talk to him, okay? Yes, he will probably be upset, but more worried. Go on now,"

The woman watched as Rachel climbed the steps with heavy feet.

"Hiram?"  
_"Shelby? Oh, god! Is that you? Is Rachel there? I can't- is she with you? I must have happen asleep. I closed my eyes for a second, for a second Shel and she's gone! Shit! Is-"_  
"Hiram!"  
_"I lost her, Shelby. I failed her I-"_  
"HIRAM! Rachel is with me. She came to me. She was upset, but she is okay now. She is safe and she is _not_ hurt. A little shaken up, but she is okay."  
_"Can I come and pick her up? Why was she upset? Did she walk all the way to your house?"_  
"Yes, Hiram come over. I will explain everything when you come here. I don't have much time to explain things right now-"  
_"Okay, I'm on my way right now."_

"Was he mad?" Rachel asked from the steps.

"No, sweetie," Shelby said gently as she put the phone down and then walked towards the girl. "He just sounded worried, as would any parent. Why don't we get you something to eat while we wait until he comes to pick you up, okay?"

"He's coming here?" the girl asked.

The woman nodded. "Come on. What would you like? I'm not the greatest cook, but I think we can scrounge around."

...

As Quinn was walking back to Shelby's she spotted Jesse St. James, with that stupid smirk on his face. What the _fuck_ was he thinking? They had a plan.

"You asshole!" Quinn shrieked as she bolted towards the boy. He certainly had it coming for him. "What the fuck, Jesse? Seriously? What the fuck? Where were you? I'm counting on you! I'm-"

"Woah, there," Jesse said as he held his hands up. "What the hell, Quinn? I was just coming over to find you. God forbid I'm a few minutes late. Jesus christ."

"Try fifteen minutes late, jerk! Seriously Jesse! What if I had somewhere to go? What if-" Quinn wanted to push this boy in the face and wipe that smile off of his stupid face.

"You mean Shelby Corcorans?"

"Wha-"

"Yeah, news travels fast. Shelby didn't tell anyone, but news just- it gets around."

The blonde crossed her arms. "So?"

"Here," Jesse said as he handed the girl an envelope. "You're welcome. I've already talked to Lexi. Did you talk to Rachel?"

"I'm going to," Quinn said as she looked down at th envelope, "today." Was it this easy? Money was a funny thing. Who really needed it?

"Great, well, sorry I didn't meet you on time. We'll talk tomorrow okay?"

"Thanks, Jesse," Quinn said.

The boy nodded and squeezed the girl's shoulder and walked off to his car. Then, he turned around, "do you need a ride?"

"No," the blonde shook her head. "Thanks, though."

The girl took a deep breath as she headed towards her house. She needed to- she just wanted to give her mother this. She would be so proud. It wasn't long before the girl made her way back home. Judy's car wasn't in the driveway. The blonde sighed as she took out a piece of paper to write the woman a note:

_Here is the money. Sorry it took me so long to get you the money, but here it is. I hope you're okay. I'm good. School is fine. I'm going to try to make the cheer team. I'm looking forward to summer too. Sorry I let you down. - Quinn_

...

Judy Fabray pulled into the hospital parking lot. If Leroy wouldn't talk to her on the phone, she would have to confront him herself, in person. If only he would just shut his mouth and listen for a few minutes, he might actually be happy with the news she had to share with him.

Leroy and Judy's history went way back to when they were just starting out in the world, as sophomores in college. The two met when they were studying abroad in England. Leroy was majoring in communications and Judy was majoring in marketing.

It had been years since Judy had, had contact with the man. When they landed back in the states, she made contact with Leroy here and there, but they quickly parted their ways and started their own families and went to pursuing new and bigger dreams.

The woman took a deep breath as she knocked on Leroy's door. She was so excited to share this news with him, this... opportunity. A once in a lifetime opportunity that, as soon as Leroy was out of the hospital, they would pack their bags and go to England again. This time, they wouldn't be learning, instead they would the _teaching_ new and hopefully students.

"Judy?" the woman heard a voice say from the other side of the door.

"Hey," the woman said with a smile as she stepped inside the room. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I guess," Leroy said. "I just want to get out of here. I-"

"Leroy," Judy said as she pulled a chair up next to the man. "You can get out of here and, I believe, soon." The man raised his eyebrow as she tried to sit up. "You remember our professor from our study abroad class?"

The man chuckled, "Dr. Reilly? Oh god, I remember him like the back of my hand. He was crazy, yet... we learned so much, didn't we?"

The woman laughed with the man. She missed this. She missed the old Leroy. Now, he was just... too stiff and it was like he forgot how to smile.

"Well, you won't believe it, but Dr. Reilly called me last week,"

No kidding?"

"Yes! He called me and we had a pretty decent conversation. Actually... that's why I'm here, talking to you. I tried to call and explain... but, you, well, that doesn't matter. He wanted to offer us an opportunity to teach in England next week and you know what, I just had to take it. I've been dying to tell you!"

"Next week?" Leroy asked. He couldn't believe it. He wanted to do this, no questions asked. He loved England and would do anything to go back and now, here was his chance. It was a terrific place and the people were great. Everyday was an adventure there. It was a whole new culture and a whole different language.

"I know it's last minute and I know that you're still recovering, but I think... I know this will make things better, it will-"

"What about Rachel? What about Quinn? Judy, I can't just up and leave,"

"I know that, Leroy. This is such a big commitment, but Leroy, it's ENGLAND! How many people get to say they studied there as sophomore and then years later, got invited to teach there?"

"You're right," Leroy said. The man leaned back as he tried to put the numbers together in his head. He could leave, tomorrow, or maybe even tonight. Knowing Judy, she had the tickets booked already. He could just leave with her and then call Hiram and Rachel when he got there, that way, they couldn't stop him from going because he would be there already.

...

There was a knock at the door just as Rachel was gulping down a glass or orange juice. Shelby was right, she couldn't cook. She could boil water, but that was about it.

"That must be your father," Shelby said as she popped a grape in her mouth. "I'll get it,"

"Hey!" Hiram said with a smile as he stepped in. By the time he got to Shelby's he was able to calm down. He was sure that Rachel had a good explanation of why she was upset and why she ran off without telling him. "Where's my mini Babs?"

"Daddy!" Rachel said with a smile as she jumped into his arms and gave the big hug a bear hug. "I'm sorry I scared you,"

"It's okay, sweetie," Hiram said into the girl's ear. "You're okay and that's all that matters. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know," Rachel said as she sat back down and traced the rim of her cup. "I'm okay now, I think. I just want to go home. I have some homework that I need to finish. Besides, I'm working on my audition songs for Glee!"

"Is that so?" Hiram said with a smile. If his girl wanted to sing, he would support her, no matter what.

"Well, you're welcome to stay a bit, if you'd like," Shelby cut in as she eyed Hiram. She would like them to stay, actually a lot. She was sure Quinn would have liked to see some familiar faces.

"No, that's okay," Hiram said. "Thank you though, Shelby. It's best we get going. I was thinking we could stop by the hospital and surprise dad. How does that sound? And then go out for dinner? He sounded pretty good last time I talk to him. Looks like he can come home soon! What do you say, Rach?"

"Thanks," Rachel said as she hugged her mother and gave her a light peck on the cheek.

"Of course," Shelby said as she hugged the tiny girl back. "Visit me too, okay? I get lonely!"

"Mom!" Rachel said.

"Thanks again," Hiram said as she guided Rachel to the door. "Rachel's grounded, but I think we can make an acception."

...

"Hey, right on time," Shelby said with a smile as Quinn walked through the door. "How was school?"

"Fine," Quinn said as she sat down at the table. "I don't have a lot of homework, which is good, I guess."

"Good," Shelby said.

"I'm going to start my homework," Quinn said as she got up quickly. She didn't forget to hand the woman her cell phone.

"Are you okay?" Shelby asked. The woman could tell something was off. The blonde just wasn't herself. She seemed like she was in a different world. She didn't expect the girl to open up now, but it was worth a shot. She didn't want to let Russell down.. wherever he was right now.

"Yeah, I'm just tired," Quinn said. She wondered if she should tell the woman about her stop at her house. Would be be betraying Shelby if she did? The blonde was at loss about what to say. She didn't want to get into trouble, but she wondered if Shelby was going to take care of the fee, but it was taken care of now.

"Oh, okay, well dinner will be ready... actually, I can't cook, we can go out... if you'd like,"

"That sounds cool," Quinn said. "When would we go?"

"How important is your homework?" the blonde shrugged. Screw homework. "Then, how about now?"

"Shelby," Quinn said as she took a deep breath. "I went to my house today. I know I should have told you first, but- and I will take the punishment... I just- I thought that maybe my mother would be there- well, she wasn't there, but I dropped off some money... the fee... and well, yeah, so um... it's taken care of," the blonde could feel tears pricking her eyes. She hated this. She wanted her mother and her father. She wanted them to care.

Quinn didn't realize it, but she was sobbing. She had been bottling all these emotions and couldn't hold on anymore. She wasn't that tough like everyone wanted her to be. It wasn't until she felt Shelby's arm wrap about her and whisper sweet nothings into her ear, trying to calm her down that was able to catch her breath. The blonde felt wanted when she was around Shelby and she liked it, but she didn't like that was giving in this easily.

...

The pair finally made it to the hospital after a little detour. Traffic was horrible and it didn't help that there was a car accident that backed everything up. Hiram was going to call it quits, but Rachel really wanted to see her dad. She felt as though she hadn't seen him in ages.

The two walked through the automatic doors and Rachel bolted for the elevators. She knew exactly where to go.

"Dad!" Rachel called out as she opened the door to his room. "Dad-" Nothing. He wasn't there. No one was there. His bed was made and everything. "Did dad go home?" Rachel asked as she turned towards Hiram. Judging by the look on the man's face, he didn't know where he was. Shit.

"I- stay here, sweetie," Hiram said as calmly as he could. "Berry, Leroy Berry," Hiram said to the receptionist at the desk.

"Oh, he left about two hours ago," the woman said as she continued typing something into the computer. "Some woman came and a nurse discharged him. I don't know why that man was here. He was as healthy as could be, but a woman came and took the man home or said something about catching a flight."

"WHAT?" Hiram yelled. He looked over his shoulder, hoping Rachel wasn't listening. "I need more information. I am married to that man. Why didn't anyone call me? Where is the doctor?"

"I'm sorry," the woman said. "I really don't know who the woman was. She was here before, once, I think. And, the doctor is out right now. He got a call and had to be somewhere."

Hiram gritted his teeth together and stepped off to the side. He quickly dialed Leroy's cell phone, but only got this voicemail. The man didn't know what to do. He couldn't take care of Rachel by himself. No, it just wasn't an option. She was a handful and he was still trying to remember things. Maybe- maybe Shelby could help. She was the mother, after all.

Suddenly, a text came in: _Tried to call you earlier. I'm sorry you have to find out this way, but I'm on a plane right now. Details later. -Leroy_

"Dad," the father heard Rachel say. There was sadness and fear in her voice.

The two watched as a few nurse wheeled someone who wasn't her father into Leroy's room. It wasn't him. It was someone else, just out of surgery.

**Once again, thank you for all the support. Also, in two weeks, I will be moving into the next phase of my life, college. The next few weeks are going to be hectic and emotional for me, but I will work out a schedule. I am going the shore next weekend, so I will try very very hard to get out another chapter before, but once I come back, I will have to quickly pack. My new goal is to get as far into this story as possible so please, bare with me.**

**If you have any additional questions you can PM me or ask me on my tumblr, which is the same as my username: shrimperton.**

**Also, I'm so so sorry for the typos and that this is shorter than usual, I tried to get this out fast, I've been trying to spent time with my family before I leave.**

**Also, have any of you been watching the Olympics? Some of these competitors are YOUNGER than me! It's crazy stuff.**


	13. Chapter 13

dolphindreams16 - Thanks for the review! I hope you enjoy this chapter.

notnow - Thank you for continuing to follow this story.

Guest - Good luck to you too! I think I'm more nervous about the workload, only because I am an art major and well, we never sleep, but I'm ready! Plus, I have a pretty cool roommate! Thanks for the review!

caseyrn12 - Shelby would certainly have her hands full with Quinn and Rachel! Rachel is up to no good in this chapter too... and maybe the next chapter (; Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Gleeks09 - Thank you so much for the review! I feel like I'm losing my mojo, but I'm not going to give up! I need to start closing some plotlines and answering again and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Guest - Thank you for the review! I still don't think it has all sunk in... college. I'm going to miss my friends and family so much, but I'm ready to start!

Guest - Thank you so much for the kind words. It means so much!

sillystarshine - Thank you for the review! I can't believe I let Judy and Leroy do that too! Watching all the track and field... just... it puts me to shame. I run and all.. but my abs... they will never look like that.

Guest - Thank you so much for the review! Leroy and Judy's leaving does open doors, but it also brings to the surface old memories... especially for Hiram.

**Thank you for all the support. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'm going to try to speed things up soon, just because I don't know how much free time I will have.**

**Also, thank you for all the well wishes on starting college. I am very excited and a little nervous. I start in a little over a week!**

"Daddy...?" Rachel called to Hiram. "Where is dad...? Is he at home? Is that where he is? Did you know he went home?" the girl turned around slowly to face her father. She needed to see his face. She needed to see that he wasn't panicking because the man that was just wheeled into the room was not Leroy.

Don't panic, Rachel thought to herself. Dad is probably at home. He _is_ at home, relaxing... right?

"I- I don't know, sweetie," Hiram said with a shaky breath as he glanced back down at his phone. What the hell did this message mean? And who did Leroy leave with? And why didn't he call him earlier? Worry was plastered all over the father's face. He couldn't fool his daughter. The man didn't know what to do now. What was he supposed to tell Rachel?

"Rach," Hiram said as evenly as possible. "Come here, please. It's okay, sweetie. Come here... please." The girl wearily stepped out of the room and walked towards her father. "Dad he... he-" Hiram licked his lips, trying to figure out what to say, "he- he is with a friend right now."

"A friend? Do I know this person?"

"Yes, sweetie. I mean- no, you... I don't think you know this person. I- he is taking a- a little vacation right now. I-"

"Oh," Rachel said as her face fell. She really wanted to see her dad. He always said goodbye before he left to go anywhere. She just wanted to chat with him and have a decent conversation with him. "When is he going to come home?"

"I don't know," Hiram said as his voice cracked. "I don't know sweetie. I'm- I'm sorry. I wish I knew, but- he... whatever he is doing, it's- it's very important and I promi- when... I know that when he has some free time, he will call us, okay? Rachel? Did you hear me?"

How could Leroy do this? How could he just leave him now without an explanation? Leroy couldn't have picked a better time to disappear out of thin air and with a woman! The man knew for a fact that he couldn't take care of Rachel by himself. Sure, plenty of parents did it, but he wasn't confident that he could do this, not in the state he was currently in. He loved his daughter more than anything, but it was a big undertaking. All he wanted was for Rachel to be happy. He had to start working again. He couldn't do that _and_ take Rachel to school, pick her up, take her lessons, take her to serve her hours, the list went on and on.

"Rach?" Hiram asked. He needed Rachel to say something. He wasn't really getting a reaction from her. He didn't really give the girl a whole lot to think about, but he was being as honest with her as possible.

The brunette met the father's eyes and slowly nodded. She guessed she understood. Leroy worked hard and needed this break or this... vacation, as Hiram put it. "Yeah," Rachel said. "I understand. Can we just go home now, please?"

"Yes, of course," Hiram said gently as he kissed Rachel on the head and then guided her out of the hospital.

The ride home was silent. Rachel didn't say anything, while Hiram desperately wanted to find the right words to say or for her to say something. He kept on glancing in the rearview mirror at Rachel who was staring out the window.

Rachel didn't know how much longer she would be able to control her emotions. All she wanted to do was cry and scream and throw something. This was _her _fault. It had to be. Judging from what Hiram said, Leroy was going on vacation, away from them, but he just wasn't telling her the entire truth. She caused him leave and now that was causing Hiram pain and heartbreak. The girl kicked herself for all the times she was a pain and all the times she didn't listen. If only she listened and did what she was asked of, maybe none of this would happen.

"I'm going to my room," Rachel mumbled as soon as they pulled into the driveway. "Night."

"Now hold on a second," Hiram said as he caught up to Rachel at the door. "Do you wanna... do you want to talk about this?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I understand. I don't need to talk about it. I'm tired daddy. Can I please just go to sleep? I have to get up early for school tomorrow,"

"Yeah, go on sweetie," Hiram said as he opened the door. The father pulled the girl into a hug and gave her a light peck. "I love you,"

"Love you too," Rachel said as she darted up the steps, two at a time.

Rachel closed the door behind her and tried taking a few deep breaths. She needed to pull herself together. She would make things better. The girl needed to find her father, but the problem was, she didn't know where the hell he was. If she did, she would go and find him and talk some sense into his head. Rachel was channeling all her emotions into action. She wasn't going to be the cause of tearing this family apart.

...

There was only a little over a week left of school before it would be let out. No one's minds were focused on school and the teachers were trying desperately to prepare everyone for final exams.

Rachel, Quinn, and Kurt had mixed feelings about leaving the middle school. It was probably, hands down, three very long, stressful, and surprising years, but they were all ready for high school. They would be at the bottom of the food chain, but proud of it.

Rachel, in particular, was anxious to audition for Glee Club. It was her dream to be on the team, next to being on Broadway working alongside Barbra Streisand and then going on to receive her Tony for Best Actress.

"Miss. Berry? Rachel?" someone was calling the girl's name. "Miss. Berry," the voice said again, this time a little louder.

"Yes?" Rachel said as she came out of her trans.

There was silence. Crap, the girl thought to herself. This always happened to her. Of course, the one time she was not paying attention, she was called on. Rachel believed this teacher, or all teachers for that matter, were out to get their students and that they enjoyed putting the spotlight on their students.

"Can you answer the question Miss. Berry?"

"I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?"

The teacher gave Rachel an annoyed look, or was it a 'I caught you," look? The girl glanced at the clock. Would school _ever_ get out? The girl had someplace to go. It was going to be risky, but it had to be done. The girl needed to see her mother. Surely her father would understand. Rachel didn't have her cellphone on her and would just have to explain to her father why she was late when she got home. Hiram was a softy, but if he didn't approve of Rachel going to see her mother, she would just say that she stayed after school to work on her audition.

Rachel was extremely excited to hear that Vocal Adrenaline would be performing at their school, in hopes of getting others interested in auditioning. She was more than interested. No one had to ask her twice. The problem was, Rachel wouldn't be going to Carmel. She wracked her brain for months about how she would get her father to agree to transfer schools. This was another reason why she wanted to see Shelby.

"According to this this Civil War era map," the teacher said used her pointer to point to the map behind her, "what were the first three Southern states to secede from the Union?"

History sucks, Rachel thought to herself as she looked at the map. It sucks because who wants to sit around all day and memorize dates and the order of who was president and whatnot. The girl had no plan to be a history major. She wanted to be on Broadway and that was that.

Once class got out, the girl darted for the locker and yanked it open. She threw her books into her bag and barreled towards the door, but on her way, she slammed into Kurt.

"Woah, there! Where are you going in such a hurry?" Kurt asked as he tried to steady the girl. "Stop and smell the roses."

"Kurt, please," Rachel said as she adjusted her backpack, "I have to be somewhere... I have to go, like right now!" Rachel tried to pry herself free from the boy's grasp, but he held her straight. "I'm serious, Kurt! I am going to be late! I am never late, for anything!"

"Where are you going? It's not like you're going off to save someone's life. Besides, I was just wondering if you needed a ride tomorrow. My dad said that he-"

"Tomorrow? What's going on tomorrow?" Rachel asked as her mind went blank. What was happening tomorrow... school and... that's it. Nothing. She was grounded.

"Uh... our community service? And uh- oh, I don't know, a crash course on driving etiquette. It's-"

"Oh! Crap! Right... yeah-" the girl was distracted, if only she waited a few more seconds at her locker, then maybe she wouldn't have crossed paths with Kurt, "that'd be great. Thanks Kurt... look, I-"

"Great! So... we can just leave right after school tomorrow. Wanna meet right outside the office? My dad can-"

"That sounds like a plan," the girl cut in. "Thank you, again."

"Oh, and my dad said he will also drive us home so-"

"Awesome," Rachel said flatly. "Look Kurt, I'm sorry, but I really, _really_ have to go right now. I need to meet someone and I don't want to keep them waiting-"

"Someone?" Kurt asked as he raised his eyebrow. "You're seeing someone and you waited this long into our conversation to tell me? Why are you holding out on me, Rachel? You're my best friend!"

"I'm not going to go on a rendez-vous with a boy, Kurt!" Rachel said, annoyed. "That's ridiculous. Now's not the time for boys, Kurt. Besides, I have you and that's enough. I need to focus on my audition for Glee Club and I just want to enjoy myself and not have to worry about commitment to someone else. Boys are a distraction and they lack hygiene." Seriously, didn't this kid have somewhere to be too? And he was crazy to think that she was seeing someone. The girl sighed as she took notice that the hallways were starting to clear out. Time was running out.

"Alright," the boy said as he stepped back. He could see that Rachel wasn't here and that just trying to have a decent conversation with her was pointless and a waste of time. "See ya tomorrow. Don't forget, we have a history test tomorrow! Our teacher is _insane_, like she has the audacity to throw this big ass test on us tomorrow and then expect us to have enough energy and brainpower to take a lame final next week." The boy threw his hands up in the air, "I can't wait until summer starts and I can't wait to get out of this hell hole!"

The girl nodded in agreement and then darted off to Carmel High School. The girl's adrenaline was rushing. She knew she was going to get in a hell of a lot of trouble, but it was Shelby, not a guy and she wasn't going out of state. It would be fine.

...

"Alright, everyone!" April Rhodes said from the directors table. "Wow me! Show me what you got! This is my first impression of you and my standards are set very high! Who's up first?

Nicole stepped forward with confidence. "Hello, my name is Nicole and I will be singing Gimmie Gimmie from the Broadway musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie."

April sighed as she leaned back in her seat. Could this girl pick a more cliche song? The woman wanted to hear something refreshing and something that pushed the boundaries. Nicole was playing it safe. Sure, April knew this song was difficult to sing, but it was oversung.

"Thank you, Nicole," April said as she crossed the girl's name off her list. "I-"

"Excuse me," Nicole cut in, "but, is that all?"

"What?" April asked as she looked up.

Nicole crossed her arms, "You're not impressed. I can tell."

"Well," April said as she sat up, "you have talent, don't get me wrong, I know you can sing, but when I said I wanting something refreshing yesterday, I meant pick a song that isn't popular. Do you understand? On that matter," the woman stood up to address everyone, "if any of you have picked a song, like Nicole's, then I suggest you leave right now or, I would hope, you have a back up song." April walked to the front of the stage. "When you go to a singing audition, you must be prepared. This means have back up songs, songs from different genre. Multiple songs! Expand your repertoire. Have your safe songs, but also have songs that challenge yourself. A director is going to want to know if you can sing a ballad, as well as an up-tempo song." With that, April walked back to the director's table. "Next!" She was already annoyed with this group of students.

A boy named Blaine stepped forward. "Hello, my name is Blaine and I will be singing Ben Fold's 'Late'"

April nodded, she would accept this song. The woman closed her eyes as she listened to Blaine sing. April did this sometimes when she listened to students sing because it wasn't appearance that matter, it was the voice. The boy wasn't bad. In fact, he was very good. Blaine had picked the perfect song for his voice. The woman scribbled some notes next to the boy's name.

"Thank you, Blaine," April said with a smile as some of his classmates applauded for him. "Next!"

Lexi took a deep breath as she stood up to take the stage. She still felt as though not everyone liked having her on the team, but she was determined to prove to them that she was not going to let them to get to her head.

"Hello, my name is Lexi and I will be singing Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's Falling Slowly," the girl knew she was taking a risk, "and my duet partner will be Sam,"

April paused. She didn't what to think of this. In fact, she was surprised. "Whenever you two are ready," the woman said hesitantly. The woman knew this song back and forth. It did give each singer an equal opportunity to shine and it had beautiful harmonies. The only question was, could they pull it off?

Lexi looked to Sam and nodded. "Ready?" she whispered.

"Yup," Sam said.

Lexi took a deep breath as she looked at Sam as he started singing,

_I don't know you, but I want you_  
_All the more for that_

Lexi joined in, her voice aiding their harmony,

_Words fall through me and always fool me_  
_And I can't react..._

...

Rachel was out of breath by the time she reached Carmel. She was so afraid that she would cross paths with Hiram and he would bring her home without giving her a chance to explain herself. The girl knew that Shelby had Vocal Adrenaline rehearsal today because they were coming to perform at her school the following day.

The girl slipped into the school and found her way to the auditorium. She smiled as she heard the sound of people singing. Rachel slipped into the seats in the mezzanine because it was a nice hiding place and out of everyone's way.

"Thank you, Lexi," Rachel heard a woman say. "Who would like to go next? Any takers?"

The brunette raised her eyebrow. That did not sound like Shelby Corcoran. Not by a long shot. The girl leaned over the rail to get a better glimpse of the woman down below. She was blonde.  
"My name is Andrea and I will be singing Beyonce's I Was Here,"

Rachel's mouth dropped open. Who the hell was this woman? The girl wanted to just rush down to the front of the stage and demand the whereabouts of Shelby, but the girl knew she was pushing it, especially because she was almost certain that none of the students knew who she was.

Did Shelby move rehearsal to a different location? Did she cancel it? The girl recognized the students, this was definitely Vocal Adrenaline. Rachel saw Lexi hanging in the wings. If the girl was going to confront anyone, it would be her, regardless if Lexi knew her or not.

Rachel slipped out of her seat and made it backstage. She took a deep breath and tapped Lexi on the shoulder.

Lexi turned around and smiled at the girl before her, "Hello there, how can I help you?"

Ugh, Rachel thought to herself. She hated when people treated her like a little kid. Yes, she knew she was small, but she liked to consider herself an adult.

"Hello," Rachel said politely, "my name is Rachel. I was looking for Shelby Corcoran."

"Oh, Shelby isn't here," Lexi whispered as she watched Andrea finish her solo, "in fact, Miss. Corcoran doesn't coach Vocal Adrenaline anymore. That woman over there," Lexi pointed to the blonde woman at the directors table, "April Rhodes, she is the new coach."

Rachel didn't move. She's not coaching anymore. Shelby isn't coaching? Why didn't Shelby tell her this? When did this happen? Was she keeping another thing from her? The girl felt betrayed. Shelby knew how much Rachel wanted to be on Vocal Adrenaline and now that she apparently wasn't coaching anymore, Rachel didn't stand a chance.

"Oh... okay, thanks," Rachel said as she stepped away from Lexi. This had to be a mistake. Was this a workshop? Did Shelby just step out for a minute? Did she hire someone to help her out?

"Now wait a minute," Lexi said as she stopped the girl.

"Rachel who? Are you some spy? Because we will not tolerate spies. All rehearsals are private. How did you get in here? How do you know who I am?"

"No," Rachel said with a sigh, "I'm not spy. I'm going to be on your team next year."

"Oh, are you?" Lexi said as she crossed her arms. Was this a joke? This girl looked too young to be in high school. What did she want from this team?

"Mhmm," Rachel said, gaining her confidence. "I'm going to audition to be on Vocal Adrenaline because I'll be starting high school next year and I am going to make it because I have been working on my audition for-"

"You really need to go," Lexi said as she looked over her shoulder. "If anyone sees you, you'll be in a lot of trouble and-"

"I already am," Rachel mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Lexi said. "I'm sorry... who did you say you were?"

"Rachel, Rachel Berry... Shelby Corcoran's daughter,"

With that, Rachel darted out of the school and sat down on the steps, trying to figure out what to do. She was furious at Shelby for not telling her. The girl felt like she was always the last person to find out important things like this.

Well, Rachel thought to herself, I should get home. She knew her dad was going to be mad and he would probably tell Shelby and she would be mad too.

Rachel took a deep breath and started walking home. She took her time. She needed to think about things. She needed to find out where Leroy was and she needed Hiram to remember and she needed her mother to be honest with her.

Halfway home, Rachel stopped. She was close to Shelby's. The girl bit her lip, debating on whether or not to stop by the woman's house, besides Rachel's main goal was to find the woman and she still really hadn't found her.

...

_"Leroy," Judy said as she put her hand on top of Leroy's, "it'll be okay. Just relax, okay? We should be taking off soon,"_

_Leroy nodded as he turned his phone off and then shut it. Hiram had not responded to his text and he was worried about what he would say. The man didn't even remember leaving the hospital, going home to pack, and then driving to the airport. All of it was a blurr._

_"Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts and turn off all electronic devices. We will be taking off shortly..." a voice said over the loudspeaker._

_"Leroy," Judy said again, "really, it's going to be okay. You need to do this for yourself."_

_The man nodded. He still couldn't believe that he let Judy talk him into running off, but it was London. Leroy couldn't help but think about Rachel. This was just like when she ran off to New York City, but he was a responsible adult and he knew what he was doing. Rachel was young, very young, and ran away with her friends and did some serious damage._

_"They are probably worried sick," Leroy mumbled as he buckled his seat belt._

_"Well, there's nothing you can do about that now," Judy said as he read her book. "You can call them or something when we land."_

_"Yeah, I'll call them when we land," Leroy said. "Judy... do you... do you know how long this-"_

_"It's just a semester," Judy said to her book, annoyed. "A year would have been nice, I know, but yeah, it's just a semester,"_

_"Oh, okay," Leroy said. He tried to remember the last time he was around eighteen and nineteen year olds. With technology these days, it would be impossible to keep them off their phones. "Judy?"_

_"What?"_

_"Did this opportunity really just... come up in a conversation?"_

_"Do you think I am making this up?"_

_"You can't answer a question with a question," Leroy countered._

_"Of course we are going to London to teach, Leroy. I know you have a family at home. I do too. If I didn't think you wouldn't be able to spend a few months away from them, then I would have declined the opportunity, but since our flights there and back are covered, I had to take advantage of the opportunity,"_

_Leroy nodded as he closed his eyes. He really hated flying. He didn't like the feeling when his ears popped and he didn't like the feeling that his stomach was coming out of itself when the plane landed. The man watched as the plane safety video started playing. He began wondering if Hiram would be getting Rachel to her community service on time and if he made sure to look over her math homework._

_The man gripped the arms of the chair as the plane eased up into the sky. Breathe, he thought to himself. You can do this. It's only an eight hour plane ride. The man glanced back at the TV, a movie was already beginning to play. It was his favorite movie, Shawshank Redemption._

_Leroy thought back to one of the first dates he had with Hiram. They had just returned from a wonderful dinner out. Somehow, Shawshank Redemption came up in their conversation. Hiram was saying something about how he used that movie as his inspiration for a new piece he was working on. Leroy had admitted that he had never seen the movie and he was certain that Hiram was going to shank him right there._

_Ever since that night, Leroy knew that Hiram was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. It wasn't just his good looks and his beautiful eyes and smile that caught his eye, but it was his sense of humor and his taste in music and movies and that when Leroy talked to him, he knew Hiram was listening with not just his ears, but also his eyes._

...

Shelby was just loading the dishwasher when the phone rang. She glanced over her shoulder and chuckled as she looked at Quinn. The blonde looked so serious when she was doing her homework.

"Hello?"  
_"Shelby? It's Hiram. Is- is Rachel there?"_  
"No... Hiram, what's going on? Hiram?  
_"Shelby, Rachel never came home."_  
"Oh my god,"  
_"Shelby... you- you have to help me! I don't know what to do. I went to the school and she wasn't there. I called Kurt's and-"_  
"Hiram-"  
_"And then... and then I drove all around the neighborhood and then-"_  
"Hiram! Listen to me! We are going to find her."  
_"Oh god, what if something happened to her? What if she was kidnapped? Shit. FUCK!"_  
"Hiram, relax. Just try to relax. She can't be far..."

Quinn looked up from her work. Were they talking about Rachel? She saw her at school today. The blonde saw as Shelby tried to pull herself together. She really did look like Rachel... like super identical.

"I can be over there right now-"

Just then, there was a bang on the door. Now who could that be? Shelby glanced at the time. She wasn't expecting anyone.

"Hiram, can I call you back? I swear, give me like five minutes, okay? No, you know what, I'll come over, okay?"

"No, wait, Shel!" Hiram said. But before he could utter another word, Shelby hung up. The man couldn't wait for her to come over, he had to call the police. He had to do _something_.

"Quinn," the woman said as she went to answer the door, "are you... are you expecting anyone?"

"No..." Quinn said as she got up to see who was at the door. She wasn't. She was grounded. Duh.

Before the woman could open the door, Rachel burst through.

"MOM! How could you do this to me... AGAIN? How could you do this to Vocal Adrenaline? I just-" Rachel took a deep breath, "I... why didn't you tell me, mom?"

"What?" Shelby said as she stood in her spot. This was the second outburst Rachel had and the woman was desperately trying to keep up. "Rachel, what are you trying to tell me?"

"Rachel?" Quinn said as she stepped forward.

"Mom, why didn't you tell me you're not coaching Vocal Adrenaline anymore?" Rachel said. "You knew I wanted to audition for the team. I just-"

"Rachel," Shelby said once she finally understood. "I wasn't trying to keep this from you. I promise you that, sweetie. I was going to tell you. I just didn't think that it was important for you to know, besides, Rachel, won't you be going to West McKinley?"

"No... well, yeah," Rachel said, "but I'm going to talk to daddy about going to Carmel."

The woman was stuck. She didn't know what to say. She was Rachel's mother, but Hiram had the say. "You should call your daddy," Shelby said as she reach for the phone. "He is worried sick."

"I don't care," Rachel said as she crossed her arms. "I want to go to Carmel. I want- I wish.."

"Rachel," Shelby said sternly. "Call your father right now. He is worried sick and I am sure that you extended your grounding, young lady."

Rachel opened her mouth to protest. She thought that her mother was on her side! Besides, it was her father who had the say, not her. She couldn't ground her!

"Fine," Rachel said as she yanked her phone from her mother's hand. "If I had my cell phone, this wouldn't have been a problem," she mumbled.

"Watch your attitude," Shelby said as she took a deep breath. She was in no mood to deal with this behavior right now.

"Quinn," Shelby said to the girl who had become very quiet, "please go back into the kitchen and finish your homework, okay?"

"Yeah," Quinn said as she walked away.

"Hey dad..."  
_"RACHEL BARBRA BERRY!"_ Hiram yelled. _"What the heck were you thinking? You know the rules! You are grounded again! You are more than grounded! You are supposed to come straight home! Where did you go that was so important?"_  
"Daddy! I went... I went to visit Shelby!" the girl took a sideways glance at Shelby. It wasn't a complete lie.  
_"You could have come home and I would have taken you to see her!"_  
"NO! No you wouldn't have! You would have made me do my homework and then by the time I finished it would have been dinner time and by the time-"  
_"Rachel! You better fix your behavior by the time I come over there! You have earned yourself an extra month's worth of groundings!"  
_"But daddy!"  
_"No, Rachel. This is not up for discussion. I love you and I will see you soon. Don't think about running off again. Do you hear me? Rachel?"_  
"Yeah,"  
_"Good. I'll see you soon,"_

Rachel hung up and squeezed her eyes shut. She messed up, again. She let her father down and she let her mother down.

"Rach?" Shelby asked. "Sweetie, why don't you come into the kitchen and wait for your father to come over. We could use the company,"

"Kay," Rachel whispered as she handed her mother the phone.

"Ugh!" Quinn whined as she threw her pen. "I HATE math and I HATE history and school! I can't wait until summer starts! Like, I seriously cannot wait until high school!"

Shelby sighed as she sat down. Teenagers.

"I know what you mean," Rachel agreed. "Like all my teachers are out to get me! Like they assign all these stupid projects and shit-"

"Language!" Shelby said as she rubbed her temples. She could feel a headache coming on.

"And like, ugh! I don't have time to do all this crap if I want to do well on my finals!" Rachel whined.

"I know!" Quinn said as she threw her hands up in the air. "This is bullshit!"

"Language!" Shelby said again. "Ladies, please! Do I have to start a swear jar?"

"Sorry," the two girls mumbled.

Shelby heard a car pull into the drive and jumped out of her seat. Saved by the bell.

"Rachel!" Hiram said as he burst through the door. "Don't _ever_ scare me like that, okay? Rachel?" the father rushed to his daughter and gave her a hug. "Sweetie, you scared me. I didn't know where you were!"

"If I had my cell phone," Rachel said as she freed herself, "then we wouldn't be in this position."

"Nice try, kiddo," Hiram said, "no cell phone. In fact, some things are going to change now. No cell phone for a whole month. Also, I will take you to school and then I will pick you up and bring you straight home. Now," he held his hand up, "I realize that there is a little over a week left of school, so once school ends, no going out for the first two weeks of summer."

"That isn't fair!" Rachel whined. "It's summer! I want to enjoy myself!"

"And you can enjoy yourself by helping me around the house and oh, I don't know, picking up a book that isn't required for school."

"So... does this mean I can go on the computer? Because, you know I have homework..."

"You will use my computer for that," Hiram said as he guided his daughter to the door, "because the only application on there is Word."

"Terrific," Rachel said as she pouted.

"Thank you for watching my irresponsible daughter," Hiram said as she waved to Shelby and Quinn. "It was nice getting to see you Quinn. I hope you are well."

"I am, Mr. Berry," the girl said politely. "It was nice to see you too."

After the two left, Quinn had not left the kitchen. She was still staring down at her notes.

"You've been staring at the same page for the past half hour," Shelby pointed out.

"Kay," Quinn said, who clearly didn't hear Shelby's comment.

"Quinn," Shelby said as she closed the girl's book. "You need to sleep. I know you have this big test tomorrow, but you need your sleep, sweetie."

"I need to study," Quinn said as she reached for the book, but Shelby didn't let her have it.

"Go to sleep and just wake up a littler earlier tomorrow. You're tired and right now, your brain isn't comprehending any of the information."

"Okay," Quinn mumbled as she got up. "Good idea. Night." The girl was tired, but she _had_ to ace this test. Getting lower than a B just wasn't acceptable.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Shelby said with a light smile.

Rachel lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. She needed to prove to her father that she was responsible and that she was too old for groundings. She kicked herself for doing what she did and she hated it.

"Hey, sweetie," Hiram said. The father sat down on the edge of the girl's bed.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said as she sat up.

"I know," Hiram said gently as he pulled the girl into a hug. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just scared."

"I know," Rachel said as she pulled away. She wasn't really in the mood to talk to Hiram. She just wanted to be left alone. The girl sat there. She didn't want to be rude and tell her dad to leave, but she was angry at him for yelling at her and embarrassing her and she was mad at herself.

"Well," Hiram said as he patted the girl on the leg. "Get some sleep. I love you."

"Love you too," Rachel said.

...

Shelby collapsed in her bed. _Finally_, she thought to herself. Peace and quiet. The woman had her eyes shut for only a few seconds when she heard her phone ring.

"What do you want?" the woman said outloud. Who was calling her at this late hour? It was Hiram.

"Hiram, I was just about to go to bed."  
_"I know that and I'm sorry, but I just- I wanted to talk to you about something."_  
"Can it wait?"  
_"No, actually, it can't and it... it kind of concerns you."_  
"Shoot."  
_"It's about.. Rach."_  
"What about her? Is she okay?"  
_"Yeah, she's fine. She's perfect. It's just- it's me."_  
"What do you mean?"  
_"What I'm saying is, I don't know if I can do this. I thought I lost Rachel today. I keep losing her and that- this... it can't happen. I'm her father and I should be able to know where she is._"  
"It's-"  
_"And I know that I lost my memory and whatever, but I've remembered enough and I have a follow up appointment in a few days and it's just- Leroy left."_  
"What?"  
_"Leroy left and I don't know where the hell he went! He left with some woman! He left and he didn't tell me and now I'm by myself and- well, I have Rachel, but I called you because I wanted to tell you that I don't think I can do this. I probably sound like a horrible parent, but, I just- I-"_  
"I can take care of her, Hiram, but I think you can too. I know you can. You know how to take care of Rachel and-"  
_"No, Shel, I can't. You don't understand."_  
"Then help me understand."  
_"Just... I- I don't know how to tell her, but I.. I need time. I need time to get a job, or-"_  
"Fine. Then take that time to work things out, but in the meantime, I will watch her. It's not a problem."

Rachel's eye were wide open. She could hear every single word her father said. He didn't want her. The girl couldn't stop the tears. She hated that whenever her parents tried to have a private conversation, it wasn't so quiet. They were never good at keeping their voices down. The girl was happy that she would be able to stay with Shelby, but she wanted to stay with her father. This was her home. Besides, Shelby had Quinn. Surely, the woman couldn't take care of both of them.

...

Rachel dragged herself out of the car and walked into the school. She was worn out and she hated that she had to put on a showface today. Thank goodness tomorrow was Friday. The girl walked into school and suddenly felt a change in the air.

"Rachel!" someone called out. It was Kurt. "Do you know who is here? JESSE! Jesse St. James! He is here! In the choir room! Come on! We have to go and see why he is here!"

"Oh my god!" Rachel said as she followed after the boy. What was Jesse doing here? She idolized him! Well, he came third, but still, Jesse St. James was in their school?

"Ladies and gentle," they heard the boy say. Already a small crowd was forming. Some teachers were trying to break up the crowd, but it kept on growing. "Hello, as you all may already know, my name is Jesse St. James _ex_ member of Vocal Adrenaline." There were a few gasps. "Please," he held up his hand, "I know, shocking! What is going to happen to Vocal Adrenaline now? Well, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you this, they are going to go down in flames! But, no, don't fear because I will be starting my own Glee Club and I would love for all of you to audition... TODAY!"

"Okay, break it up!" a voice boomed. It was the principle. "Everyone get to class! NOW!" Quickly, the crowd broke up. No one wanted to get a detention with just a few days of school left.

Jesse quickly gathered his things, "auditions will be held after school in the dance studio!" It wasn't the ideal place, but it was all the boy could work with.

"Kurt," Rachel said to the boy as she grabbed her books from her locker, "I _have _to audition!"

"Rachel! We have community service and a crash course right after school! You can't skip that!"

**Sorry for any typos. I was rushing to get this out. I don't have much free time next week, but I will try very, very hard to get one more chapter out.**

**Also, I just wanted to mention a recent death that occurred that I am sure many of you are aware of. Marvin Hamlisch is one of the most talented composers of all time. I was in the city with a few friends when I found out about his death and was heartbroken. He is such an inspiration and his legacy will live on. He was... is one singular sensation. Now, when I listen to The Way We Were, it has such a different and more powerful impact. **

_**"Memories, may be beautiful and yet. What's too painful to remember. We simply choose to forget. So it's the laughter. We will remember. Whenever we remember. The way we were.."**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello. Thank you, again, for all the support and the messages and alerts. This chapter isn't my best and it's much shorter than I wanted it to be. I sped things up a bit just because I am anticipating how much free time I'll have. Sorry for any typos.**

School was finally coming to an end and Rachel was in no hurry to leave. She was perfectly fine just staying in school, for once. She hated Kurt for bursting her bubble and reminding her that she had community service and a crash course right after school and she hated that she wasn't going to be able to audition in front of _the _Jesse. St. James. He had connections and Rachel needed to impress him so if an opportunity came up, he would instantly think of her and bring her name up. But, the girl knew that she had to go to community service, not going was just not an option.

If only I could just talk to him right after school, the girl thought, then maybe I could audition for him at another time...

"Alright, that's it for the day," the teacher said, clearly annoyed that all of her students had their eyes on the clock and not the board, "remember, tomorrow is the last day to turn in all extra credit and judging by most of your current grades, I highly suggest you all take me up on this opportunity. This final could make or break your grades. I don't want to get a dozen phones calls from angry parents at the start of summer, questioning your grades because all grades will be final. You are going to high school next year and no one is going to hold your hand and remind you to hand in papers and study for tests. In fact, most teachers won't even offer extra credit and with that, have a good night and STUDY," the woman said with a sigh as her students gathered at the door.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" Rachel asked the woman.

"May I go to the bathroom-" the teacher corrected.

"May I go to the bathroom? It's an emergency," Rachel said anxiously as she glanced at the clock. She _had_ to speak to Jesse, now. It was now or never. She didn't have another chance.

"Can it wait, Rachel? The bell is going to ring in two minutes. That's not that long of a-"

"I know that," the girl said quickly, "but I have to get a ride with a friend right after school and I don't want to keep him waiting. Besides, if I go now, I can beat the crowd and, you know, that Alex and Keith just love eating each other's faces off _right_ in front of my locker. It's a real hassle."

"Very well. Go ahead," the woman said as she glanced at the clock.

"Thanks!" the girl said as she backed away from the teacher's desk.

The girl pushed her way through the crowd and darted towards the ballet studio. She hoped that no one else would be there because she needed to speak to Jesse. All of Rachel's middle school life, she wanted nothing more than to audition to be in Vocal Adrenaline, but now, she was intrigued by the idea of auditioning to be on Jesse's team. She knew her mother was a terrific coach and heard that some people actually tried paying her to be on the team and that she charged a good chunk of money for a single vocal lesson, but the girl wondered what Jesse could offer her.

"Jesse St. James?" Rachel asked as she popped her head into the studio. It was empty.

"Are you here to audition?" the boy asked as he flashed a showface. "You're early. Trying to beat the crowd?"

"Yes," Rachel said confidently as she held her head high. She needed to make a good first impression. "I was wondering if I could speak to you about my audition,"

"Of course," the boy said as he shook the girl's hand. "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Rachel Barbra Berry," the girl said as she returned the handshake. "I would love to audition to be in your Glee Club, but I am in sort of a pickle. I have another commitment today and it's right after-"

"Miss. Berry," Jesse said as he put down some papers he had in his hands, "if you are as serious about auditioning for my Glee Club as you say you are, then perhaps your prior commitment can wait." He held his hand up to silence her, "in the real world, you have to be on your feet at all times. You have to be willing to make sacrifices, sometimes on the spot, and you have to be willing to push yourself mentally and physically. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and-"

"I understand that," the girl said politely, "but this cannot wait. I-"

"Give me one good reason why I should allow _you_ to audition at a different date," Jesse said as he crossed his arms. "What if every person who walked in here today asked to audition at a later date? Because I am giving up my free time right now and I don't have a lot of extra time to give up."

"Shelby Corcoran is my mother," Rachel said as she looked the boy directly in the eyes.

...

"This is absolutely disgusting!" Rachel whined as she stabbed at a gum wrapper. "I feel gross and we haven't been doing this for that long! Why do I have to pick up after people?"

"Oh god," Kurt said, pinching his nose as he got a whiff of the smell of trash. "This is just absolutely horrible! I smell horrible!" the boy could not believe he was picking up trash in his town, where people he knew would see him. It was humiliating.

"I don't want to hear any of you complain," Dot hollered. "You all screwed up, so this is not my problem," the woman walked around the group of people with her hands behind her back, shouting out commands.

"Hey," Puck whispered to Quinn, "think I can throw this bag of trash into that trashcan from that tree over there?" There was a good 20 feet between the trashcan and the tree.

"I don't know," Quinn said flatly as she stabbed at the ground. Why was this boy talking to her? If he was trying to impress her, he was failing miserably. "You must be Puck,"

"Quinn!" Dot yelled from across the field, "what did that ground ever do to you? Start picking up trash and stop poking holes into the ground or you will be filling them after this is over!"

The boy smiled, "you must be Quinn."

"Don't you dare try anything," the blonde spat. "I'm not interested. It's funny how you think you're impressing me because you're not."

The boy smirked as he ran his hand through what was left of his hair. "Watch this," he said to the blonde.

Quinn watched as Puck jogged up to the tree and tried to throw the filled trash bag into the trashcan like a football. Is he trying to show off? Quinn wondered. Just as he threw it, Dot intercepted and caught it with ease. It was like the woman had eyes on the back of her head. She came out of nowhere. Like a pop-up book from hell.

"Nice try, Mohawk!" the woman screamed. "Give me twenty!" The boy froze. He didn't have twenty dollars on him. "TWENTY PUSH UPS! NOW!" What was this? Bootcamp?

Puck took the opportunity to show off. Twenty push ups, no sweat. Puck did a few extra push-ups just for the heck of it, got up, and then proceeded to do some jump jacks, trying to show off his muscles.

"Show's over, Puck," Dot said. "Get back to picking up trash before I make you clean all the porta potties. Everyone stay focused and no more horse play!" the woman was trying very hard to keep her cool.

Suddenly, Rachel shrieked, "OH GOD! I JUST WALKED THROUGH A SPIDER WEB! UGH! I feel like bugs are crawling all over me! When is this over? I need to shower! Oh god, where did the spider go? Is it on me?"

"Yeah, watch out, it's on your back," Puck called out. "It's going to bite you!"

This only made Rachel screamed louder as she started running around, trying to swat at her back, "KURT! GET IT OFF OF ME! QUINN! HELP! OH GOD! EW! It's going to bite me and I'm going to die! SOMEONE HELP ME! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

"DIVA!" Dot hollered. She was not happy with this group of people. "Stop that right now. There's no spider on your back! Puck here was just trying to fool around with you." The woman was going to lose her marbles. She was babysitting a bunch of four year olds.

Rachel stopped dead in her tracks and glared at Puck. Jerk. She never liked that boy. He thought he was so cool because he had muscles. Did anyone like him? He was such as asshole. "Good thing I didn't freak out," she muttered as she went back to picking up trash.

The girl wished she was auditioning right now. She hated sweating and she hated picking up trash and she hated nature and bugs, especially spiders. Why the heck did they build their webs right where people were going to walk? She wondered how many people had made the team and if all the spots would be filled by the time she would be allowed to audition. She just hoped she made a good first impression. Damn, the girl thought to herself, I should have given Jesse a tape of me singing. That, would certainly have impressed him. The girl made a mental note to record herself singing and have extra copies to hand out.

"EVERYONE, BACK TO WORK!" Dot screamed. "The next person to open their mouth will be picking up trash in front of all those cars over there where all your friends and family can see. Please, start acting your age, not your shoe size!"

Quinn sighed as she looked at the ground. She didn't want to be here. She hadn't heard from her mother. How was she doing? Was she getting around? Did she get her note and the money? Did she miss her? Doubt it, the blonde thought to herself. The girl kept to herself the entire time. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She just wanted to get through this and this stupid crash course and then come home and sleep.

"Hey," a latino girl said to Quinn, breaking her concentration "hey," she said again, trying to get the blonde's attention.

Quinn looked up, "Hello,"

"Hey, my name is Santana. You look fit. Are you an athlete or something?"

"No..." Who was this chick? And what kind of question was that? Quinn didn't remember seeing this girl at the meeting a few days ago.

"You're going to be a Freshman, aren't you?"

"Yes," Quinn said hesitantly. She did not want to trust this girl. How did she know she was going to be a freshman?

"You should really go out for the cheerleading team," Santana said. "I am because well, I'm going to be head cheerleader, the _first_ freshman head cheerleader in like, over a decade. The head cheerleader right now could seriously use some plastic surgery and a new hairdo. She looks like a man with that cut. We could try-out on the same day. I heard the cheerleading coach is brutal."

"I heard that too," Quinn said, "and that she has never lost a competition and that she starves her cheerleaders."

"Well, it's nice to meet you," the girl said with a smile. "Think about it, okay? We could like, I don't know, do some like bootcamp ourselves to prepare for the try-outs or like hold our own bootcamp for all the cheerleader hopefuls and charge them. Besides, I can already picture myself in that uniform."

"It's nice to meet you too," Quinn said with a light smile. "I'll definitely think about it." She was honored that someone thought she was an athlete. She did want to be a cheerleader. Quinn liked this girl. Santana, Quinn said to herself. What an outgoing girl.

Three hours and twelve trash bags later, the group was finally finished for the day. A few people were laying on the grass in the shade and some were trying to hide away from the cars that were passing by.

"Alright everyone. Good start today," Dot addressed the group as she took off her gloves. "I'll see you all next week, three o'clock sharp. I expect you all to be on your toes next time. Some of the things you were wearing totally is unacceptable. I let some things go today, but I won't next time if things get out of hand. Do you all of you understand?"

"KURT!" the boy heard his father call. Oh god, the boy thought as he saw everyone turn their heads to the man who just called his name out. This was going to go down as one of the most embarrassing moments of his life. "Ready to go?" he called out as the man honked his horn. "I have dinner on the stove! I don't want it to burn."

"You guys ready?" he mumbled to his friends. Did his father _really_ have to do that? Call out his name? He really did not have to acknowledge his presence, he could see his car and that was enough. He told him to pick them up in the parking lot and _not_ here.

"Yup," the two said as they gathered their things. They were more than ready to get the hell away from this place.

"Did you guys make any friends? How was it?"

"Fine," Kurt muttered as he crossed his arms and looked out the window. Just drive, he thought to himself. GO! He felt disgusting and just wanted to go home and shower. He wanted everyone to stop staring too.

"Disgusting," Rachel said as she combed through her hair and then gave it a good sniff. "I need to shower like, now! I smell like a dumpster and wet dog."

"What about you, Quinn?" the father asked as he peered into the rearview mirror.

"It was fine," she replied softly. "Tiring, but fine. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Well, I hope you three are taking notes. All this community service is going to be a good life lesson for you. I know you hate it, but you are still doing something good," Burt lectured as he focused on the road. "While I understand you are all young and yearn for adventure, a line must be drawn..."

Kurt sighed as he blocked his father's voice out. He just wanted this day to be over. He wanted to be finished with high school and just enjoy summer. The boy was also thinking about auditioning for Glee Club. It really did seem like a unique club. Plus, if he made the team, it would count as credit.

"We're here," Burt announced as he pulled into the driveway of what looked like an abandoned death box where people entered and never came out. "Pay attention to the teacher," the father continued to lecture. "I'll pick you guys up in forty-five minutes,"

"Thank you for the ride," Quinn said as she slipped out of the backseat.

"Yes, thank you," Rachel said as she scrunched her nose. She made a mental note to bring perfume to put on after the next community service. She simply could not go anywhere smelling like this. People would shy away from her.

"Thanks dad," Kurt grumbled. He was miserable and showing it and didn't care.

The three were not looking forward to this crash course. They already had to spend seven hours in school and now they had to spend an additional forty-five minutes learning about things they already knew.

"Well, this can't be worse than school," Quinn said as they entered the building. "I mean... they can't assign us homework, right? Like... they are just going to lecture us and like, show powerpoints."

"I hope so," Kurt said as he straightened his back. "I don't want to have homework to worry about this summer. I plan to just enjoy myself."

"There's summer reading," Rachel chimed in.

"Great," Quinn mumbled. Rachel would bring that up.

...

"Five, six, seven, eight..." April counted off as she paced back and forth in front of the group.

Tomorrow Vocal Adrenaline was going to perform at the middle school. It wasn't a huge gig, but the woman wanted to treat every performance as their last. These students were supposed to be role models. After yesterday, the woman picked Blaine as the soloist. He really shined and proved himself worthy of a solo. Lexi and Nicole were the favorite, but the woman didn't want to conform. She wanted to give other students a chance. Of course, the woman got a load of crap from the group, but she assured them that if they worked hard they would all have a chance in the spotlight.

The song the woman picked was Phil Collin's Son of Man. It wasn't a current favorite song and it certainly wasn't played on the radio religiously, but April wanted the middle school students to understand that if they wanted to be in the group, they had to be willing to broaden their taste in music. And, who didn't like Tarzan?

"No, just stop!" April yelled as she rubbed her temples. None of them were getting it right. It wasn't that difficult compared to other numbers Shelby had put together. "You all look like a bunch of elephants on crack. You guys are going to need to do a whole lot better than this if you want to win another title this year," the woman said with her hands on her hips as she walked back to the director's table. "There are teams out there who are going to beat you if you don't pick up the pace. Just because you guys are undefeated, doesn't mean you get to slack off. That is not how this works! From the top!"

The woman shook her head as she watched some students struggle. Not all of them sucked, but some looked as though they were messing up on purpose. This was not the same team Shelby had coached.

"I am going to start cutting people from this number if you don't start kicking those legs higher and hitting your turns!" April yelled from the director's table.

April hoped to bring a whole new element to this team... something to make the judges really open their eyes. Vocal Adrenaline was expected to win going into every competition, but the woman was sure there were stronger groups out there who just hadn't competed against them. Groups that competed with them, _just_ to beat them.

The woman leaned back in her chair and scanned the group of students. It was like they lost their spark. April needed to think of a way to be the new Shelby, yet at the same time, not her, in a way. She needed these students to trust her and want to learn from her. She needed them to want to try new things and allow others to take the spotlight. It was like they shut off because Shelby wasn't there. April did have a lot of pressure on her shoulders to make sure this team won and brought home a trophy. But, it wasn't just about the big trophy and winning first place and that was what April wanted to teach them.

"That's a little better," April said. "Everyone take five and make sure to cancel any additional plans you had tonight because until this number is perfect, none of you are leaving!"

"This woman is crazy," Nicole muttered as she sat down. Her feet hurt like a bitch.

"That's what you said about Shelby," another girl named Andrea said. "Just... give April a chance. She is different, yes, but she is trying. Besides, what if she helps us win? I mean, Shelby did that and more. I just think that this woman knows what she is doing,"

"Well, she is crazy for giving Blaine a solo," Nicole said bitterly. "That should be my solo! I deserve that solo! First, Lexi takes my solo and now Blaine! This is going to be my last year at on this team. I want people to remember me."

"It's not your solo, so suck it up," the girl said back as she massaged her feet. "Just be patient and just stop fooling around and actually try. Everyone knows you're the whole holding us all back. I'm tired and I want to go home. Your stubbornness is going to get us nowhere."

"Breaks over!" April called out. "Everyone take your places! And Nicole, please try to look like you're having a good time. You look as though you don't even want to be on this team because if you don't want to, I'm sure there are other-"

"That won't be necessary," Nicole said through her teeth. "I want to be here." She was sure she could see Andrea gloating.

"Very good," April said as she clapped her hands together. "From the top!"

...

"You ready for bed?" Shelby asked from the doorway.

Rachel was just sitting in bed, staring off into space. She had washed her hair five times before she was satisfied. The girl also disposed of the clothes she wore that day. They were ruined and would never be worn again.

"How do you do it?" Rachel asked, still staring into space.

"How do I do what, sweetie?" Shelby asked as she sat on the corner of the girl's bed. The woman reached out and tucked a piece of stray hair behind her daughter's ear.

The woman really hadn't gotten a chance to speak to Rachel after Hiram dropped her off. Shelby wanted to talk to Rachel, but at the same time, she didn't want to push her. Hiram wasn't far away and it wasn't like he was leaving her forever, right? She was sure he told Rachel that he just needed to figure some things out.

"Mom," Rachel said as she met the mother's eyes, "how did you come up with such brilliant numbers? How do you- where do you even begin?"

"Well," the mother said as she tucked Rachel in, "all the numbers I've put together have been pulled from inspiration and that can be anything from say... a controversial issue or a song from an artist who has died. The sky's the limit,' the woman said. "You can do it too, Rachel. Start with an idea and build on that. You like Barbra, right?" the girl nodded as she cracked a small smile. "Well, if I wanted to do a tribute to the woman, I would do a lot of research on Barbra and pick her staple songs for example, Don't Rain on My Parade or Funny Girl. That's where everything starts. You need good music and a talented group of people. Really, it's not me, it's the students who bring the ideas to life."

Rachel nodded. She would love to choreograph her own number. Maybe, the girl thought, if I make Jesse's team, then I could co-coach with him. The girl wondered if she didn't have to go to Carmel to be on the boy's team.

"You're brilliant, mom," the girl said with a big smile. "I can't believe you don't want to coach anymore."

"I do want to coach," the woman confessed, "but I would give it up in a heartbeat for you. I love you, Rachel," Shelby said. "I will never regret the decision to stop coaching. I want to get to know you more. I want- I want nothing more than for you to be happy. Seeing you happy... seeing you doing what you love to do means more to me than you will never know."

"I love you, mom," Rachel said as she sat up to kiss her mother on the cheek.

"I love you too, sweetie," Shelby said as she tucked the girl into bed again. "Sweet dreams."

"Mom, wait," Rachel said as she reached for her mother's hand. "Will you sing to me, please? I just-"

"I would love to, sweetie," Shelby said as she snuggled close to her daughter.

The mother pulled her daughter close and closed her eyes, thinking of the perfect song...

_Goodnight my angel, time to close your eyes_  
_And save these questions for another day_  
_I think I know what you've been asking me_  
_I think you know what I've been trying to say_  
_I promised I would never leave you_  
_Then you should always know_  
_Wherever you may go, no matter where you are_  
_I never will be far away..._

Shelby lingered in the doorway until she saw her daughter settle into a slumber. The woman then went to check on Quinn. She knocked lightly on the door, unsure if the girl had fallen asleep. When the two had gotten home, they had dinner and then the girl went straight upstairs and hadn't made an appearance since then.

One down, the woman sighed. Everything seemed off today. The house was quiet and that seemed unusual. Just the other day, Quinn and Rachel were bickering about finals and today, nothing.

"Quinn?" the woman said from the other side of the door.

The blonde was in complete shock. Her mother had called her while she was at school, but since the girl had her phone on silent, she didn't get her mother's message until after the fact.

_"Hello, Quinn. This is your mother. I just thought I'd let you know that I'm on a little vacation right now... a much needed vacation. I hope you are doing well and that you are getting your work done. I want to see straight A's on that report card. I am out of the country, so don't try contacting me. I don't know how long I will be gone, but surely you had heard already that I am with Leroy. Take care."_

That's it? Quinn was furious, probably more furious than upset. Her mother actually left her! And with Leroy? Did Shelby know? What about Rachel and Hiram? The blonde was one hundred percent sure that no one but herself know. So many thoughts began to run through her mind. Was her mother seeing Leroy? The girl knew that Russell hadn't been in her life for some time, but... the girl shook her head. She was confused and needed answers.

"Come in," the girl said evenly. She couldn't tell Shelby or Rachel, not now, or ever. She didn't have the right to say so since she didn't really have proof.

"How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"Fine," the girl lied. She wasn't okay. Was anyone these days?

"You must be exhausted," the woman said as she pulled the girl's covers up.

"Yeah," Quinn said as she bit her lip. Why was Shelby doing this?

"Well, if you need anything, I'm right now the hall, okay? If you can't sleep, don't be afraid to wake me up, I'm a light sleeper."

"Okay," Quinn said as she rolled to her side. "Thanks."

The woman nodded and lightly kissed the girl on top of the head. "Goodnight."

Once the woman left, Quinn flipped on her back. Judy and Leroy... Leroy and Judy. It couldn't be possible. Judy loved... or did love Russell, but of all people, Leroy? Could two people actually love each other? The blonde shook her head. Quinn thought about calling her mother back, but she didn't know how much an international call would be, plus she would have to wait until school to make the call. The girl had no other choice but to confront Hiram. I mean, he of all people should know Leroy best, the girl thought. However, she was also confused as to why Rachel was staying at Shelby's. Yes, she was her mother, but what about Hiram? Quinn shook her head. It was starting to hurt and she kept on thinking in circles.

"Can you sleep?" a small voice said. It was Rachel.

"No, not really." Quinn said.

Rachel stepped farther into the room. "I don't know why I can't sleep. I was exhausted a few minutes ago, but now, I am wide awake."

"Yeah, me too," Quinn said as she stared at the ceiling. "My mom left me,"

"My dads left me," Rachel said as she flopped next to Quinn.

"This sucks," Quinn whispered.

"Yeah, it really does."

"You know... I was thinking about auditioning for Glee Club."

Rachel sat up and looked at the blonde. "Really? I thought-"

"Yeah, I want to cheer too, but Glee Club is like, a class, cheer is after school."

"That's really great, Quinn," Rachel said with a smile. "You know, if you need help picking an audition song, I could help you-"

"I would really appreciate that," Quinn said. "Now, get out of here. I'm tired now and I'm not interesting in sleeping with you."

"Goodnight," Rachel said as she got up from the bed.

"Night,"

The girl didn't know what to do now. This was horrible, the blonde thought to herself. The girl needed to know what was going on because Rachel deserved the know the truth, but Quinn didn't want to be the one to tell her. Hiram needed to be the responsible parent and tell her because if he didn't, Rachel was going to blame herself for the rest of her life. Quinn tried to convince herself that she wasn't the cause of her mother's poor actions and why her father left them, but she couldn't think of a different reason.

...

Russell sat with his head in his hands. He knew this was coming. He knew Judy was going to leave, yet he didn't want to believe it and he didn't think this was going to happen so soon. He knew he had lost his wife a long time ago, but he was in denial. He kept on telling himself that things would get better, but they didn't.

The man had no doubt that Shelby would be an excellent caretaker, but he wanted his baby girl, but his job simple wouldn't give him the time. Russell needed to continue working if he wanted to support himself. All he wanted to do was call Shelby and ask how Quinn was doing. If she was okay, if she was nervous about starting high school, and if she was going to go out for cheerleading. The man shook his head. He couldn't do that. He couldn't just call and ask about Quinn. What if she picked up the phone?

The man took out a piece of paper and a pen and starting to write a letter to his daughter, for the hundredth time. Every time he tried to write Quinn a letter, nothing seemed right and he couldn't find the right words to tell her.

_Dear Quinn,_

_I hope you are in good health. I think about you everyday and I miss you so much. This is not easy for me and I hope you read this letter all the way through. I have tried writing to you so many times... so many times and yet, I can't find the right words to say. I wish I had a good explanation for leaving you and your mother, but I don't. Well, I do, but you are too young to know. When you turn eighteen, maybe I will tell you, but it's best you never know. I don't expect you to ever forgive me, but know that I love you and nothing you say or do will make me love you any less._

_You were the most sweetest baby. You were so smart... so smart. You surprised me everyday and taught me so much. You taught me to always keep my chin up and never give up. You taught me how to laugh again and you taught me how to let people in again._

_Quinn, you are a terrific girl and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You are loved. You will always be loved, whether your mother and I didn't show it enough or not. I am sad... heartbroken that I won't be able to see you grow up. I wish I could walk you down the aisle at your wedding and watch your graduate high school and I wish I could have taught you how to ride a bike._

_Keep going and don't stop, Quinn. I love you. I can't wait until I hold you in my arms again. But, in the meantime, if anything should happen, I made it clear that I want you to be left in the hands of a wonderful woman, Shelby Corcoran. Please, give her a chance. She has a big heart that is overflowing with love. She can give you something that I can't. She is also an extremely talented singer. Shelby has some wonderful stories to share with you. Just be happy that I never had to sing you to sleep because your ears would bleed. Oh, and watch out, Shelby cannot cook. Don't let her burn down the house, okay?_

_I love you, sweetie. Don't ever forget that. I love you more than all the grains of sand in the bottom of the ocean._

_Love always,_  
_B.B (big buddy... lame, I know...)_  
_Daddy_

Russell leaned back in his seat and read over the note three times and crumbled it up. No. A note was not enough to fill that gap in his heart. Nothing would heal what he had broken. He wanted to tell Quinn that he left because he screwed up his relationship with Judy. He wanted to tell her that he left because he did something horrible and unimaginable and that if Quinn knew, she would judge him for the rest of her life. She wouldn't see him as her father, she would see him as a murderer.

...

Shelby stretched her legs out as she glanced at the time. The girls would be getting up in about an hour. The woman wanted to get up early and make the girl's a healthy breakfast. She simply wasn't going to let him skip the most important meal of the day, that just wasn't an option. Shelby knew her high school students always skipped breakfast because it was too early, there wasn't enough time, they weren't hungry... the excuses went on and on.

The woman quickly showered and peeked into each of the girl's room as she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She was going to let them sleep for another half hour before she woke them up.

As Shelby was cracking open a few eggs, the phone rang. Now who could that be? the woman thought to herself. She checked the caller ID. Why was Hiram calling her? The woman reached over the stove and put the phone on speaker so she could continue to prepare breakfast.

"You're on speaker!" the called out.

"Hey, Shel," Hiram said. "Shelby, can you stop moving around for a second?"

"Yeah, sure," the woman said. She could sense something was off. She knew that tone of voice meant he was about to tell her something serious.

"Shelby... I found out why... well, Leroy- he... I think," the man cleared his throat. "You know how Leroy has been- well, you know how he has... how he has tried to keep Rachel away from you?

"Yeah..." Shelby said hesitantly as she sat down and stared at the phone.

"Well, last night... last night a whole- a lot of stuff came back. A lot... and I think- it explains a lot."

"Talk to me," the woman said seriously. "What's going on?"

"Don't freak out, okay? Don't interrupt me because I have to get this out. I have-"

"I'm listening," Shelby said as she bit her lip.

"Okay," the man took a deep breath. "Remember when... well, remember that night when we... when we... when Leroy was out and we-"

"Oh god," Shelby said as she covered her mouth. "Are you telling me-"

"Yes," Hiram said as his voice cracked. "Rachel is ours... not Leroy's. We thought that our... we thought- but it was really from..."

Shelby must have forgotten the phone was on speaker because Rachel heard the entire conversation. She heard it loud and clear.

**Once again, thank you and so so sorry for any typos. I read through this a few times, but after a while I got sick of my own writing. If I can get my act together, I might have one more chapter out before I move. College is getting closer and I'm getting super anxious. It's hard saying bye to all my friends. Like I said before, you can PM me or contact me via tumblr if you have any questions. Thank you and I'm not giving up on this! I promise!**


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